Animal Crackers in My Soup
by ActionBitch
Summary: Kagome desperately needs help. With what? Everything. She needs help with her school work and with hunting for jewel shards and fighting Naraku. Now not only does she have a dog demon to deal with, but two new pets...a bunny and a doggy
1. Chapter 1

Killer Bunnies and Rabid Dogs

"Inuyasha, quit pouting." Kagome whispered fiercely as she led him up the stairs to the newly opened historical museum. She wanted to visit it, but Inuyasha decided to show up to take her back to the feudal era. Kagome compromised with him and they were going to spend a little while at the museum and then head straight back to the well.

"This is so stupid." Inuyasha growled in reply, his arms crossed and a scowl pierced across his face. He wasn't quite sure what a museum was, but he had a feeling he wasn't going to like it.

"Everything is stupid to you," Kagome replied with a sigh. She wished her dog-eared friend would show more enthusiasm about spending time with her, no matter where they were. Kagome flashed the guard her two tickets and entered with her friend. She was glad that most people decided to dress up as samurai warriors, dancers, demons and other creatures for the opening weekend of the museum. Inuyasha didn't have to wear a hat to cover his ears and he was free to carry his sword.

"It smells weird in here."

"Shut up, Inuyasha!" Kagome hissed as she tried to listen to a man explaining the significance of the huge gilded fan that hung within a glass case. The fan was half of Kagome's height and it was about four times the width of Kagome. It also had the figures of what looked like animals, such as a tiger and a sheep and a few others as well.

"Whoa, look at that," Inuyasha gasped slightly as he ran over to another showcase where a suit of demonic-looking armor stood, shinning and putting down most other showcases in the room.

"It's kind of creepy," Kagome admitted with a smile.

"I would never wear anything like this, but it does look demanding." Inuyasha said with a shrug, his nose leading him to another showcase. Kagome decided to let him explore and gather his own opinion about the museum. She walked into a wider room that glistened with gold and red.

"Ooh, this looks so pretty," Kagome muttered as she walked over to a small showcase that had one shelf with twelve little animal statues, each in a different pose. They were each made with silver to show the shine and whiteness of their coats and they each wore a different colored scarf with a bead tying it together and a symbol that told what they were.

"I get it now. It's the Zodiac." Kagome said aloud, not knowing one of the museum's experts was standing there.

"Yes, but not only do they represent the Zodiac, but they also represent the twelve legendary warriors of peace. Have you heard the story?" The man asked kindly. Kagome thought for a moment. Her grandfather told her so many stories throughout her lifetime, she couldn't keep track, even if her life depended on it.

"No, I haven't heard it." Kagome finally said.

"I'll give you the generic version and you can research the actual story later when you have time. Basically there was once a time when the entire world was at war with itself. Japan, which wasn't really a united country at the time, wanted out of it, but bloodthirsty lords and aristocrats were running it. The daughter of the highest lord hated her father for his ruthlessness and prayed for someone to end the fighting. That night, she was visited by twelve spirits, which possessed an animal host. They assumed a stronger form and scattered, stopping the fighting throughout each continent."

"Hopefully this is just another myth," Kagome giggled. The man shrugged while giving her a small smile.

"Well, it may be, but each of these statues, as you can see, are of Japanese art and design, but these statues were collected from each continent." The man answered knowingly. Kagome's eyes widened slightly as she looked back down at the statues. That was quite odd, but many countries stole from Japan and it was possible they were sold and traded and just ended up everywhere.

"Kagome, let's go. I'm bored." Inuyasha declared as he walked up to the girl.

"Hold on…sir, are you sure I can find that story in a book or online somewhere?" she asked the museum representative.

"I'm positive. I read it in a book once." He replied assuredly. Kagome nodded and bowed, thanking him for his information. She turned back and stared at the statues. She found herself really staring at the dog statue, which had a blue scarf. It looked like a Labrador and was quite cute. The statue next to it was a rabbit and it wore a purple scarf. It was cute too, but something about its expression told her it was a calculating creature…if it were a real creature.

"What am I doing? It's a statue," Kagome whined while lightly smacking her own head.

"Come on! By the time we leave on your time, I'll be too old to fight Naraku!" Inuyasha groaned with frustration, but he didn't dare touch Kagome…otherwise, she would scream the dreaded word and send him flying into the ground.

"Just a few more minutes," Kagome pleaded him. Inuyasha stared back into her brown eyes before looking away.

"Two minutes." He growled back. Kagome shook her head. She was going to take five minutes if that was what she wanted. She let her mind wander back to the feudal era, where Miroku the monk, Sango the demon slayer, Kirara the cat demon and Shippo the fox demon awaited her return. She then thought about Naraku and how she wished he would be destroyed so she could get back to her life, but every time they cornered him, he slithered from their grasp and they had to start their hunt all over again.

"We need help," Kagome said aloud mindlessly. Inuyasha's ears perked at the sound of her voice, but he was immediately on the defensive when two bright lights exploded into his eyes. Kagome gasped when the blue and purple lights flew out of the museum. Inuyasha growled as he quickly followed them, knowing something big was coming. He burst out of the doors and ran into the grassy yard of the building, watching as waves of blue and purple warped from the ground.

"Wh-what the…hell?" Inuyasha muttered when he spotted the two creatures rising from the lights. The creature that rose from the blue light was a ten-foot-tall white dog that stood on two legs and had blue armor covering its shoulders, chest and thighs and it also had blue arm guards on each arm. A chain was wrapped multiple times around the waist and was connected to a metallic war hammer. It also wore a blue scarf tied around its neck. The white dog had brilliant blue eyes that looked around curiously. The creature that rose from the purple light was a rabbit that was of the same height of the dog, minus the two silky-white ears standing up. The rabbit had purple eyes and pure white fur as well as matching armor with the dog, except the rabbit wore purple. Attached to the back of its armor were two battle-axes.

"That was a trip." The rabbit stated calmly, looking at its dog-partner with one ear bent down and the other still standing tall.

"Ahaha, yup!" the dog chirped in reply, finally looking over in time to dodge Inuyasha's blade. It held an armored arm up to block another strike from Inuyasha before knocking him back and stepping forward, growling angrily.

"What do you think you're doing?" the dog asked loudly.

"Kicking your ass!" Inuyasha barked back, jumping at the dog once more. The dog swung its paw and knocked Inuyasha's attack aside once more.

"You have fun. I'm going to find out why we are here," the rabbit said to the dog.

"Go for it!" the dog snarled before smiling at its partner and returning to the fight. The dog creature wasn't really fighting with Inuyasha. It was just dodging and blocking his attacks playfully and only knocking him back, but not enough to hurt him.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome hollered worriedly, running towards the fight to attempt to help him, but Kagome fell backwards when the large rabbit landed in front of her on all fours.

"Aaahhh! Get back!" Kagome screamed. The rabbit cocked its head sideways, one ear bent and the other still standing.

"Sorry about that. I'm not going to hurt you. I just wanted to know why you summoned us." The rabbit said.

"I-I didn't…summon you!" Kagome insisted.

"Yes you did. You said you needed help. What is it? I don't see what we could help you with?"

"I did, didn't I?" Kagome groaned. She looked over when she heard Inuyasha's yell of frustration and saw him being held by one paw and his sword being held in the other paw.

"Annoying little bugger, aren't you?" the dog asked comically.

"Let go!" Inuyasha howled demandingly.

"I think not."

"Kioko, don't harm him," the rabbit called out. The dog placed Inuyasha down and gave him his sword.

"We should get out of here. People are staring." The rabbit insisted as a flash of purple light engulfed it. Where the monstrous rabbit stood, now sat a regular sized white rabbit with a purple scarf. The dog did the same and was now a white dog with a blue scarf.

"What?" Kagome asked with confusion.

"They want to talk privately. Let's go." Inuyasha whispered as he picked Kagome up and leapt away. He landed at Kagome's house and turned around, watching as the large, snow-white dog pranced up the steps with the rabbit in its mouth.

"I can walk perfectly fine, Kioko!" the rabbit snapped.

"Haha, not fast enough, Peter Cottontail." The dog replied as it placed the rabbit on the ground.

"Alright, don't talk until we get into my room, go it?" Kagome hissed as she walked into the house. She walked to the stairs and motioned for Inuyasha and the two animals to go first.

"I smell yummy things!" Kioko whispered excitedly, its sensitive nose leading it into the kitchen instead.

"Aahh! Kagome! Where did this dog come from?" Kagome heard her mother scream. The teenage girl ran into the kitchen where Kioko had stood up on its hind legs and grabbed a piece of raw chicken from the counter, eating it hungrily.

"Uh, uh, it's a friend, I mean a friend's dog! I'm watching it for only a little while, Mom! Sorry!" Kagome explained frantically while pushing the white dog out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

"You cause too much trouble than you should," a voice groaned. Kagome looked up and freaked when she saw a tall, slender man standing in her room, clothed in white robes and purple armor with short, white hair to match.

"Aahh! Who are you?" Kagome screamed. The man cocked his head sideways while crossing his arms.

"You don't recognize me? I'm the cute little bunny." The man replied with a small smile.

"It's true. He just transformed. Is the food ready?" Inuyasha asked curiously. Kagome stood still when the white dog yipped happily as it leapt and twisted its body in the air.

"Foooooood! Food, food, food, food!" the dog chanted.

"You want more food?" Kagome breathed. The dog sat down obediently and opened its snout.

"Yeah!" it replied enthusiastically. The dog let out a yelp when the armored man-rabbit pulled it back by the scruff of its neck.

"Excuse my friend. She's still very much a puppy." The man pleaded as he bowed at the waist.

"Oh, it's fine. Um, what's your name, anyway?" Kagome asked. The man looked up, his purple eyes glistening with the cuteness of a small, furry animal.

"My apologies. I am Kioshi and this is Kioko." The man said quickly. Kagome went silent as her room was filled with a blue light and suddenly, instead of a white dog, there was a woman with white robes and blue armor on and her hair was white and slightly untamed, her blue eyes showing nothing but liveliness.

"Food please!" Kioko begged, holding her arms in front of her as a dog would hold its paws when begging. Kagome sat down on her bed and held her head in her hands. How could this be happening?

"Now look what you did," Inuyasha growled. Kioshi stayed quiet and decided not to start a fight, but Kioko was too wired at the moment.

"Your ugly face is what's upsetting her! Go away!" Kioko barked back. Inuyasha stepped forward and growled and Kioko tried to step forward, but Kioshi held her back by the back of her white robes that lay beneath her armor.

"You are an honorable warrior…act like one." Kioshi grumbled patiently. Kioko backed down and turned her head, pouting as she stared back at Kioshi.

"You…are such a kill-joy." She said to him. Kioshi could only shrug in reply.

"Wait, wait, wait! You said you would help?" Kagome asked quickly as she jumped to her feet. Kioshi gave a single nod while Kioko was nodding her head so violently her head would've flown off and broken something had it not been connected to her neck.

"Then you can help us track down Naraku! And beat him!" Kagome added on excitedly.

"I'm the one who's going to kill the bastard! We don't need help, Kagome!" Inuyasha interrupted angrily. Kagome looked at him pleadingly, but she said nothing.

"Obviously she really thinks you do need help. Otherwise, we never would have been awakened." Kioshi explained calmly, letting Kioko explore the room in her dog form.

"I don't care what Kagome thinks! I know I don't need help and I damn sure wouldn't ask help from a rabbit!"

"I like how you mention the fact that I am, in fact, a rabbit, but you do not point out the fact that she is a dog. I know you are a dog demon. Is that why you don't want my help? Because I am not a dog?" Kioshi asked calmly, but not insultingly.

"I don't need any help from your stupid dog-friend, either!" Inuyasha snarled as he crossed his arms.

"Enough!" Kagome shouted. Inuyasha's ears lowered with slight fear, thinking she was about to sit him.

"Ah, so the only one who isn't wearing pants is the one who wears the pants," Kioko said as she transformed back into her humanoid state.

"They are helping whether you want them to or not. Let's go." Kagome ordered before walking over to her desk and packing her backpack. She picked it up and marched out of the room and down the stairs, Inuyasha and the two animal warriors following.

"Bye Mom!" Kagome called as she walked outside.

"Bye Mom," Kioko chirped.

"Bye Mom," Kioshi added in. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and said nothing. These two didn't know anything about anything. Why did Kagome think they would be of any help?

"Oh no," Kagome groaned when she reached the well.

"Problem?" Kioshi asked curiously.

"Ooh! Butterfly!" Kioko exclaimed as she chased after the insect.

"Yeah. I forgot. Inuyasha and I are the only ones who can travel through the well." Kagome stated morbidly.

"Oops. Too bad." Inuyasha stated with an arrogant grin. Kioshi cocked his head to the side and walked into the shrine where the well resided.

"Kioko, come here for a moment," Kioshi called out. The dog-girl burst into the shrine and stormed down the steps and to her partner.

"There is a barrier restricting us from being able to time travel. Do you think you can break it?"

"Yup! Step back, Bunny!" Kioko giggled as she slowly began unwrapping the chains from her waist while wielding her metallic hammer.

"What're you doing?" Kagome asked frantically when Kioko leapt onto the edge of the well and held the hammer with both hands as it charged, being engulfed with a blue light. Kioko slammed the hammer down and broke the barrier.

"I don't understand," Kagome said.

"Oops…looks like I violated your manhole," Kioko chirped as she sniffed the air.

"She broke the barrier. So now we can go with you." Kioshi announced.

"Great. That means everyone else can come and go as they please…like Naraku." Inuyasha growled.

"Nooooo they can't! Haha!" Kioko sang before leaping headfirst into the well. The purple light flashed, indicating she had crossed to the other side.

"Whatever! Let's just go already!" Inuyasha snapped as he leapt into the well. Kioshi climbed onto the ledge of the well and held his hand out, helping Kagome up and leaping into the well with her. When they arrived on the other side, they could hear a fight had already broken out.

"I'm tired of this shit!" Inuyasha called out as he ran after the giant dog warrior. Kioko let out a snarl before swinging her hammer and striking Inuyasha in the stomach, sending him flying backwards.

"Stop! Stop fighting!" Kagome ordered frantically. She ran over to Inuyasha and checked on him. He was fine. Kioko had not hit him at full force. Kioshi had transformed into his warrior rabbit form and was holding Kioko back from attacking.

"Calm down! What happened?" Kioshi asked the dog frantically.

"He called me stupid, so I kicked his ass and he didn't like it!" the dog barked back.

"Kagome! We're here!" a child called out. Kioko turned around and was knocked back by a large weapon plowing into her chest. Kioshi jumped in between her and the two-tailed cat demon. The cat hissed warningly and Kioshi reached behind him and pulled his two battle-axes out, both ears standing straight up.

"STOP!" Kagome bellowed. Each fighter lowered their weapons and looked over at her.

"Oh…are you friends of Kagome?" the woman in pink armor asked the tall rabbit. Kioshi placed his axes on his back and let his right ear fold over, leaving the left one standing tall.

"We are here to assist Kagome. Sorry for the problem. I thought my partner was in danger." Kioshi replied, pointing at Kioko with his paw. Kioko was sitting patiently while wagging her long tail.

"It's fine. Sorry for attacking you, uh, dog." The woman said to Kioko.

"Give me some food and you are forgiven, my child." Kioko replied softly.

"You'll have to forgive her…she's young." Kioshi quickly added in while trying to get Kioko to shut up.

000000000000

"So…they are animal warriors you summoned?" Sango, the demon slayer, asked carefully. Kagome nodded as she stepped over a tree root.

"Yeah. I didn't mean to, but it happened." Kagome replied.

"They do have a curious aura surrounding them. It's quite amazing." Miroku added in. The group stopped walking when they saw the white dog sniffing the ground inquisitively, her tail not wagging for once. She looked up and transformed back into her human form before pouncing into the bushes, rising from the leaves with a white rabbit in her grasp.

"Found you!" Kioko announced happily.

"Great job. Your nose is as keen as ever, friend." Kioshi said warmly. He let out a whimper when Kioko snuggled him closely to her face while smiling widely.

"You're so cute! Especially as a bunny! Bun, bun, bunny! Cute little bunny rabbit! Ahahaha!" Kioko sang as she hopped in a circle, still snuggling her rabbit partner. Kioshi finally had enough and transformed into his large, fully armored rabbit form, squishing Kioko beneath his larger body.

"That was…totally cold, man!" Kioko whined breathlessly.

"Sorry, but I refuse to be your "bunny." Find another." Kioshi retorted as he finally stood up and let the dog-girl breathe.

"They make an interesting team, no?" Miroku asked aloud.

"Haha, right?" Kagome giggled.

00000000000

"So what exactly happened again?" the policeman asked the museum worker, who tried, while trying to sound sane, to explain that a giant dog wielding a war hammer and giant rabbit wielding two battle-axes emerged from beams of light and talked.

"We-well, the light came from this showcase and as you can see, the rabbit and dog statues are missing and ironically, a rabbit monster and dog monster emerged from the lights." The man explained carefully.

"Mhm. And you say there are witnesses?"

"Y-yes! Tons of witnesses!" the man insisted.

"Oh boy. Looks like I'm going to need more help," the policeman groaned as he rubbed his forehead.

"Aaahhh! Aaahhh! It's happening again!" the museum worker screamed frantically as he pointed at the showcase. The crowd of witnesses watched as another light shot from the case, but instead of having the manners to go outside, it immediately hit the floor of the museum. The orange light pulsed out and rising from the warp was a white tiger that stood on its hind legs and wore orange armor. The tiger let out a growl as it sniffed the air and caught the familiar scent of the dog and rabbit warriors. The tiger turned its massive head and pointed at the showcase.

"Assist me," he demanded. Another light shot from the showcase and hit the floor next to the tiger. Out of the gold light rose a snow white horse that stood on its hind legs and wore similar armor to the tiger, except his was gold.

"Who are we fetching?" the horse asked.

"The mutt and the cute, little bunny." The tiger replied with a grin. The horse grinned as well and chuckled.

"My best friend, Kioko, eh? This should be fun." The horse stated as he and the tiger blew a hole through the museum's wall and casually walked out.

"See? I told you!" the museum worker shouted at the policeman, who had long ago pissed his pants with fear.


	2. Chapter 2

Break It Down

Sango and Kagome giggled as they watched Kioko the dog sniffing around and eating random leaves, picking up rocks and chewing on them before dropping them and retrieving sticks for no reason.

"For a warrior, she is very child-like," Sango pointed out.

"Well, from what Kioshi told me, they were each spirits that were randomly picked for the mission and Kioko is the youngest of all of the twelve spirits. That kind of explains it." Kagome answered.

"Food? Food! Food, food, food! Yaaaaaaay!" Kioko howled happily as Kioshi approached her with a cooked fish in his hand. He threw it to Kioko, who caught it in her snout and pranced away happily.

"Kioshi, is there a reason why you and Kioko are partners?" Kagome asked. Kioshi walked back over to Kagome and Sango and sat in front of them on his knees.

"I do not understand your question," Kioshi said.

"When I said I needed help, both of you were summoned. Why not just one of you?"

"Oh, I see. Before when we were all summoned, we separated into teams of two and split up. Kioko was my partner before and I never do anything without her. She seems immature and she is, but she is…fun." Kioshi answered, his purple eyes focused on the ground and his hands resting in his lap.

"This is awesome! Watch!" Kioko shouted as she ran out of the bushes in her dog form, did a flip and landed on her hind legs perfectly.

"Calm down," Kioshi said to her. Kioko immediately sat down and stared back obediently. Sango and Kagome giggled again before standing up and readying themselves to continue traveling.

00000000

Inuyasha was glad when everyone was finally ready to start walking again. He wished they would suck it up and be a little more motivated about finding Naraku in a faster pace than they currently were going. He was extremely irritated with Kioko. She was so hyper. Kioshi was easier to ignore, considering he rarely talked.

"Alright, so the last time we saw Naraku was a few days ago. He can't have gotten too far." Miroku announced.

"Who is this Naraku you speak of?" Kioshi asked Miroku.

"He is a demon who has single-handedly ruined every one of our lives in some way. Now we're out to find him and kill him." Miroku explained simply. Kioshi nodded his head and said nothing more. He looked behind him and saw Kagome, who was idly brushing her hair with her fingers as she thought about something. She felt eyes on her and locked her gaze with Kioshi, who quickly turned back around and crossed his arms.

"What…oh," Kagome decided against asking him what was wrong. She looked around and didn't see Kioko anywhere, but she was sure the dog was out sniffing around in the forest, not too far away.

"Where is Shippo?" Sango asked quickly when she realized he wasn't riding on Kagome's shoulder. Everyone stopped and looked around, wondering where he had gone.

"Oh, the little fox-child? He went with Kioko." Kioshi said.

"Are you sure?" Sango asked him.

"Yes. He wanted someone to play with and she is the only one who agreed."

"Haha, sounds like Shippo. We shouldn't be worried." Miroku insisted.

Kioko's nose was almost attached to the ground by a magnetic force as she continued trotting through the forest. Shippo sat on her back, holding onto her blue scarf to keep from falling off. They were playing a game until Kioko caught onto a scent and couldn't keep from following it. It was so peculiar.

"Don't go too far from the group, please?" Shippo whimpered as he clung tightly to the dog's scarf.

"I won't." Kioko replied assuredly. She lifted her head from the ground and sniffed, finding a whole trail of different scents. She didn't know where to start. Kioko decided to stick with the scent she found on the ground, considering it didn't lead too far away.

"Whoa! Where are we going? Kioko! Aahh!" Shippo wailed when the dog suddenly took off in a sprint. The scent had gotten her so excited that she had to speed up and see whom this scent belonged to. Kioko always loved meeting new people. New people were always promising new playmates.

"Hold on!" Kioko shouted as she leapt over a fallen tree, her paws pounding the ground as she picked up even more speed. Kioko exited the trees and found a small clearing. She saw a young human girl picking a flower from the ground and her tail instantly began wagging.

"Hm…aahh! Master Jaken! Help!" the girl screamed frantically. Kioko's ears flattened against her head as she lowered her head entirely, letting out a depressed whine. Usually people loved that she was a cute doggy.

"She won't hurt you! She's really friendly, I promise!" Shippo insisted as he leapt off Kioko's back. The little girl saw him and frowned.

"She won't?" she asked.

"Kioko, show her how nice you are," Shippo said. Kioko's tail wagged as she approached the young human girl.

"My name is Rin…p-please don't h-hurt me," the little girl stuttered as she held her hand out. Kioko moved her head against her hand and remained very calm.

"See? She's harmless." Shippo chirped. He knew Rin was the little girl who traveled with the always dangerous, Lord Sesshomaru, but he currently wasn't around.

"She's really soft." Rin added on. Kioko lifted her head and licked Rin on the cheek, making the little girl giggle warmly.

"Aahh! Rin, get away!" a voice squawked as a green imp ran up. He swung his staff and tried to hit Kioko, but she immediately stepped in between him and Rin, dodging his staff and ramming her head into him and knocking him down. Kioko placed a single paw on the imp's chest and snarled in his face viciously.

"No, no, no! Don't hurt him! He's my friend! Please don't hurt him!" Rin begged. Kioko backed off and sat down, licking her lips. Rin thanked her and helped the imp to his feet.

"Lord Sesshomaru will not be happy about you making friends with a wild dog. I thought you would be scared of it, since you were killed by wolves." Jaken grumbled. Kioko's ears rose at the word "wolves."

"But…I'm not a wolf. I'm a dog." Kioko spoke simply.

"Aahh! You talked!" Jaken screeched.

"Haha, you can talk? That's neat." Rin chirped as she scratched Kioko's ear. The dog absolutely loved her ears being scratched and her leg began shaking in reaction to the pleasure. Kioko heard a high-pitched ring shoot through her head. It was Kioshi and he needed her.

"Come on, squirt!" Kioko barked urgently, picking Shippo up in her mouth and taking off running.

"Come visit me again!" Rin called out to them hopefully. Kioko heard that and definitely intended on visiting her soon. Maybe next time Kioshi wouldn't interrupt her playtime with his boring training.

"You're so fast! This is scary!" Shippo cried out, but it was kind of fun, too. Kioko burst from the bushes and placed Shippo on the ground. He immediately ran to Kagome. Kioko saw her rabbit friend and immediately ran for him.

"Get out of the way!" Inuyasha hollered. Kioko turned her head and saw a tall man with white hair. His scent matched the one she was following earlier before she got sidetracked. Kioko's tail wagged as she found her new friend. She pranced toward him and saw his golden eyes narrow with irritation.

"Disgusting mutt…you have Rin's scent all over you." He growled icily before waving his sword and firing out a wave of demonic energy.

"Huh?" Kioko was so confused. She didn't do anything.

"What?" the demon man growled when he saw the white rabbit dash in front of his attack and be engulfed in a purple light. The large rabbit warrior was now in full armor and swung his axes down, cancelling out the attack of the demon lord with his own.

"Who are you?" the man asked the rabbit. Kioshi's nose twitched with slight irritation.

"You attacked us. What is your name?" Kioshi asked in return.

"His name is Sesshomaru! He's Inuyasha's older brother!" Kagome answered loudly.

"He is a hot-headed asshole!" Inuyasha added in. Kioshi kept his comments to himself. If anyone was a hothead, it was Inuyasha, although, this Sesshomaru character attacked Kioko without provocation. Maybe it ran in the family?

"Do you wish to fight me or not, rabbit? I grow tired of waiting." Sesshomaru stated simply.

"Back off, bunny! He's mine!" Inuyasha barked as he ran past the rabbit warrior, his sword swinging away at his brother. Kioshi let out a hopeless sigh as he transformed back into his normal rabbit form. He heard a sniff and a sad whine and turned around, seeing Kioko's head was bowed and she was sitting in a not-so-proud pose.

"What is wrong, friend?" Kioshi asked softly.

"He wanted to kill me! Why are some people so mean?" Kioko cried sadly. Kioshi looked up at her, his nose twitching inquisitively. He hated seeing her upset. He raised his paw and petted her snout gently.

"It's not you, friend. He is the one with the problem, not you. You are the best friend anyone could ask for." Kioshi said assuredly. Kioko stopped crying and looked at him.

"Really?" she asked.

"Mhm! I chose you to be my partner, didn't I?"

"Yeah…you're right! He has issues!" Kioko giggled. Kioshi nodded. At least she got over it quickly.

"Oh no! Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed frantically. Kioko transformed into her dog warrior form and caught the half-demon from face planting into the ground. She placed him down and stepped forward, letting out a snarl.

"I see. So you are also some animal warrior? You're still no match for me." Sesshomaru said as he flew full speed at Kioko. She loosened the chains from her waist and grabbed her hammer. She raised it in the air and let the blue aura surround her.

"Judging hammer of the Heavens!" Kioko shouted before slamming the hammer on the ground. Sesshomaru let out a gasp when the shockwave struck him and sent him flying backwards. It wasn't meant to hurt him. It was meant to warn him. Sesshomaru landed on his feet and straightened his posture, his eyes narrowing. Who were these warriors? They weren't demons.

"I have no time for this." Sesshomaru announced, placing his sword in the sash around his waist as he walked away.

"Uh…he started the fight. What does he mean?" Kioko asked.

"He's in denial. He didn't expect you to send his ass flying." Inuyasha explained as he sheathed his sword and rubbed his sore arm.

"He's not the first. I don't know why he's so upset. I send lots of asses flying. He's not that special." Kioko mouthed off with irritation as she placed her hammer back onto her waist.

"No trash talking…and that can also be counted as rude." Kioshi scolded as he hopped up onto Kioko's shoulder, after she transformed into her humanoid form. Kioko reached up and rubbed his head softly.

"So?" she replied.

"You are an honorable warrior. You must respect your opponent, even if he doesn't respect you." Kioshi continued. Kioko nodded with understanding and said nothing more.

00000000

Kioko glanced at the rabbit on her shoulder. He would momentarily look back and let out a slightly hopeless sigh. Kioko wondered what was wrong with him. He was never a sad person, but he seemed very sad at the moment.

"Do you want a carrot?" Kioko asked.

"No." Kioshi replied.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just confused. Keep walking and stop talking."

"Haha, it rhymed," Kioko giggled.

"Hey, dog lady, so you can defend, but can you fight?" Inuyasha asked harshly.

"Yeah, of course." Kioko replied.

"So your attacks can be fatal if they need to be?"

"Fatal?" Kioko repeated with wide eyes. She never killed anyone. She hurt them, but never killed.

"My attacks are fatal. There is no reason for hers to be." Kioshi interrupted, leaping onto Kioko's head to keep her from saying much else.

"I know your attacks are, rabbit. I was asking if she could kill if the time called for it." Inuyasha pressed on, turning around and walking up to Kioko.

"When does the time ever call for someone to kill another?" Kioko asked curiously. She was so confused. Kioshi always told her to just incapacitate and injure, but never to kill. Why all of a sudden did she need to kill?

"If Kagome is being attacked by a demon and I'm not there, I expect you to kill the bastard!" Inuyasha hollered with irritation. Kioko cocked her head to the side, her blue eyes showing thought.

"But…why would you not be around to protect Kagome? Don't you love her? Why is it my responsibility?" Kioko asked back, ignoring Kioshi lightly smacking the top of her head to signal for her to shut up. Kioshi turned his head and saw Kagome covering her mouth to hide her smile, but something in her eyes said Kioko was obviously wrong.

"Just do it! Quit asking questions!" Inuyasha insisted as he crossed his arms.

"But if I don't ask questions, then I'm blindly following you and that's just…stupid." Kioko retorted softly. She honestly meant no insult; it was just how she was taught.

"You're the stupid one," Inuyasha grumbled as he walked away. Kioko reached up and grabbed Kioshi and held him in front of her.

"What did I do wrong?" she asked the rabbit. Kioshi's ears folded down as he held back a chuckle. The next thing he was definitely going to teach Kioko was tact.

"Don't take anything offensively," Kioshi told her.

"I don't kill things."

"Hey, don't worry about it, Kioko. Inuyasha is always tense when we're looking for Naraku." Kagome chimed in assuredly as she patted the dog girl on the shoulder.

"But you're always searching for him, so he's always tense." Kioko said. Kioshi let out a hopeless sigh. She just didn't get it.

"Yeah, but he means well. Inuyasha doesn't know how to express his feelings very well." Kagome giggled.

"He has feelings?"

"Kioko! Stop it!" Kioshi hissed as he leapt onto her face. Kioko let out a squeal as she pulled the rabbit from her face.

"It's alright, Kioshi. At least she speaks the truth." Miroku chuckled, tapping Kioko on the head with his staff. Kioko smiled at him and if she had a tail, it would be wagging right now.

That night, everyone did his own tasks to set up camp. Kioshi used his axes to chop some wood for the fire and Kirara lit the fire. Inuyasha and Miroku fished for something to eat while Kagome and Sango set up blankets to sleep with. Kioko helped Kioshi carry the firewood and stack it.

"I don't have enough blankets," Kagome said.

"Kioko and I can sleep without blankets." Kioshi announced before turning into his small rabbit form and hopping away to find something to eat. He was gone for a little while and when he came back, the fish was being roasted over the fire and everyone was chatting lightly.

"Here Kioko, you can have this one," Shippo said, taking one of the sticks with a bigger fish and giving it to the dog. Kioko grabbed the stick and stood up, prancing away happily.

"Why does she always go away when she has food?" Sango asked aloud.

"She likes going on adventures." Kioshi answered.

Kioko ran all the way to the other camp, following the scent of the demon lord. She found the small camp and saw Rin staring into the fire, her arms wrapped around her legs. Kioko approached slowly, seeing the demon lord sitting against a tree in the background.

"Hm? Oh, hello there," Rin whispered when she saw the white dog approaching. Kioko handed Rin the fish and sat down.

"Thank you." Rin chirped, biting into the fish hungrily. She and Jaken caught small fish earlier, but this one was bigger and more filling. Kioko looked over at Sesshomaru and saw his golden eyes glaring at her.

"You have some nerve, mutt," he said dangerously. Kioko's ears flattened, but she let out a low growl of defiance.

"But Lord Sesshomaru, she's a nice doggy," Rin said as she stroked Kioko's head. Kioko wagged her tail and panted happily. Kids were the best. Sesshomaru let out a quiet snort before closing his eyes and saying nothing more.

Back at the other camp, everyone was now asleep, except for Kioshi and Inuyasha. Both decided to stay up and watch the fire so the others could have some warmth. Kioshi snuggled down in front of the fire and decided to try and catch some sleep too.

"Hey, Kioshi," Kagome called out.

"Yes?" the rabbit answered.

"If you're cold, you can come sleep under the blanket with me. You're small enough to fit."

"Oh, uh…sure. Here I come," Kioshi stuttered slightly. He stepped over Shippo and crawled underneath the blanket, soon falling asleep. He wondered where Kioko was, but he was sure she was fine.

0000000000

The next morning, Kioko woke up when she felt the warmth of the sun striking her snow-white coat. She noticed Sesshomaru had left, which was a plus. Now she could play with Rin for a while before going back to meet up with the others.

"Good morning!" Rin chirped when she saw the dog sit up and yawn.

"Mm, morning." Kioko replied.

"Thanks for keeping me warm last night! It was cold before you came." Rin said.

"No problem! So, do you want play now?" Kioko asked excitedly as she jumped to her feet and ran up to Rin, tail wagging fiercely.

"Uh, what?" Rin asked.

"Play now!" Kioko howled happily. Rin grinned widely in return.

"Alright! I'll run and you chase me!" Rin giggled as she ran away.

"Hahaha! Game on!" Kioko yipped with excitement as she ran after the girl. She knew she could outrun Rin, so she didn't go at full speed to help make the game last longer.

"Aw, how cute," a voice chuckled as a large beast stepped out of hiding. Rin's eyes widened when she saw the monstrous horse warrior in golden armor. The horse held a hoof out and tried to strike the girl, but Kioko, running at lightning speed, grabbed the girl by her kimono and leapt out of the way.

"Go hide, Rin!" Kioko demanded, turning back to the horse and growling warningly.

"Kioko, I thought you were my playmate." The horse said with fake concern.

"If you call breaking my ribs fun, you stupid horse!" Kioko barked back. The horse swung his hoof at the dog, but she dodged him beautifully.

"Name calling is rude. Didn't Kioshi teach you that?"

"He also taught me how to fight, you dorky donkey! Bring it on! Game time!" Kioko shouted as she transformed into her dog warrior form, wielding her war hammer in her paw.


	3. Chapter 3

Right in the Kisser

"Kioshi! Watch out!" Kagome screamed loudly. The rabbit had saved her from being mauled by a white tiger and now the tiger was after Kioshi, who was making sure Kagome was unarmed.

"The tiger always gets his prey! Rah!" The tiger snarled as he pinned Kioshi down. The rabbit couldn't reach his axes and was trying to think of what to do. He kicked the tiger up in the air with his strong legs and rolled to freedom. He grabbed his axes and stood still, waiting for the tiger to attack again. The white tiger landed on all fours before standing on his hind legs and reaching behind him, pulling his spear out to fight.

"Kagome, go now!" Kioshi ordered.

"I'm not leaving you alone!"

"Trust me and go now!" Kioshi hollered as he jumped at the tiger, blocking the spear with one axe and swung at the warrior with the other. The tiger let out a growl as he let go of his spear and leapt back to dodge the fatal attack.

"What is the meaning of this, Tora?" Kioshi asked angrily.

"I have been sent by my master, who summoned me, to retrieve you and Kioko and return to the building where we came." The tiger answered proudly.

"I also have an obligation to the girl who summoned me and I will not return until I have fulfilled her wishes!" Kioshi answered strongly.

"A girl? The human girl who was here a few moments ago? Kioshi, do you remember the last time we followed the wishes of a girl?" Tora asked curiously. Kioshi's ears twitched slightly as he looked down with slight sadness. How could he forget? But Kagome was different…he could tell. Then he heard a loud ring tremble throughout his head. Kioko was in danger!

"Kioko," the rabbit mumbled as he turned his head.

"She is busy at the moment. I'm sure she and Takara are having a wonderful time together." Tora stated, his fangs pulled into a toothy grin.

Kioko leapt as the horse's hoof slammed into a tree, knocking it down and smashing into something else. The horse let out a malicious chuckle as he continued his leisure walk, knowing that he could very well catch the dog with no problem, but then the game would be over.

"Are you having fun yet, Kioko? I am!" Takara laughed, swinging both hooves and knocking even more trees down.

"I don't like this game! I never did! Please stop!" Kioko cried back, leaping over a fallen tree and continuing her dodging. She tried to fight him, but the proud horse warrior outmatched her terribly, so she retreated to dodging and possibly wearing him out.

"But the game can't stop until one of us falls from exhaustion…or death! Come here, doggy!" Takara teased.

"No, no, no! Aahhh!" Kioko whined as she ran up to Sesshomaru. He was following a scent, but the demon lord's attention was turned on the white dog running up to him.

"What do you want?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Please don't let him take me! Please, please! I don't want to go back!" Kioko begged as she turned into her human form, getting down on her knees and showing all signs of submission and pleading. Sesshomaru wasn't surprised, knowing she could switch forms, but she seemed desperate for protection. But, from what?

"Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone? Oh where, oh where could she be?" Takara sang, smashing down trees as he approached. Sesshomaru saw his tall form and looked down at Kioko, who was staring back up, her blue eyes watering.

"Get out of my way and step back," Sesshomaru ordered sternly. Kioko did just as he said, saying nothing more.

"Oh there you are, Kioko. Hm? What's this? You brought me another little doggy to play with after I pummel you? How thoughtful." Takara said with a smile. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. Did this pasty horse just refer to him as a doggy?

"You're as good as dead. Is there anything specific I should write on your tombstone? If you step out of my way and don't interfere with my little game, I'll let you live." Takara stated, pointing his hoof at Sesshomaru. The demon lord said nothing, but he quickly drew his sword from his sash while simultaneously cutting the horse's ankle open. Kioko stood up and watched as the horse warrior yelped and pulled back slightly.

"You're warning me? Heh, how ridiculous. You couldn't fight your way out of a basket, mule." Sesshomaru said calmly. Takara held his injured leg against his chest and let out a growl.

"You will regret this, Kioko. I will play that much harder next time." Takara warned as he disappeared without a trace. Sesshomaru placed his sword back in its place on his hip and turned around.

"What are you and what is your purpose?" Sesshomaru asked. Kioko bowed to him and decided that he deserved answers after he helped her.

"I am a Zodiac warrior! I represent the dog! My name is Kioko! My purpose is to…uh, I don't know…do whatever the hell Kagome tells me to do!" Kioko announced enthusiastically. Sesshomaru almost stepped back. Her excitement and happiness were so strong; they almost radiated from her body and physically pushed him.

"Kagome is the name of the human girl who travels with Inuyasha. Why are you, a noble warrior, taking orders from a mere human girl?"

"Because she summoned me for my help, therefore she is my master and I must do as she says and once I fulfill her wishes, I will return to my slumber until another summons me." Kioko explained simply, wondering why it was strange to take orders from anyone. It was all she knew. Of course, she figured that Sesshomaru, being who he was, didn't take orders, so that was why it was strange to him.

"And the horse warrior, does he also serve her?" Sesshomaru quizzed. If that was the case, then the horse had strange ways of showing his appreciation of a teammate. Kioko shook her head in the negative.

"I don't know who he works for, but he's always trying to hurt me. I don't like him. Kioshi serves Kagome, though."

"The pesky rabbit…I remember him. You must be the weakest of all the Zodiac warriors, I assume? You rely on the protection of the rabbit and you run like a coward from the horse. Do you also run from the rat? And tremble in the presence the rooster? You are absolutely pitiful and if Rin didn't enjoy your company so much, I would kill you on the spot." Sesshomaru growled as he walked away. Kioko cocked her head.

"So…it's weird that I take orders from a grown human girl, but you hesitate to kill me because a little girl-child likes me?" Kioko asked curiously. Sesshomaru stopped walking and felt his breath stop in his chest. She had a point…and he hated the fact that her point made him look like a fool, but when he turned around, she had already disappeared into the forest.

Kioshi panted as he landed on all fours. Tara had succeeded in disarming him and wore him out. Kioshi knew he could handle Tara, but he had to use all of his strength to do it.

"Grab your axes, Kioshi…and fight me like you mean it!" the tiger roared as he lowered his spear. The rabbit grabbed his two axes and held them up defensively. He knew what he had to do to win.

"Tara, I will give you one last chance to back off and if you do not, I will be forced to kill you," Kioshi announced.

"Heh, I will not back down," Tara said back.

"Then you leave me with no choice," Kioshi sighed. Kioko was hiding in the bushes, watching the fight with curiosity. Kioshi crossed his arms and axes in front of him, his ears standing straight up and his eyes closing.

"You're kidding me!" Tara screamed. Kioshi's eyes snapped open and were glowing purple, a vicious gust blasting at the tiger. Kioshi slashed his axes to where his arms were sticking straight out, purple blades mixing with the tornado and slashing the tiger mercilessly.

"Aaahhh! No way!" Tora roared with agony, but Takara saved him and disappeared without a trace, taking his partner to safety. Kioshi panted as he collapsed.

"Oh…Kioko," he cried, a few tears falling down his furry face. He transformed back to his small rabbit form to help hide himself from danger.

"Kioshi! Kioshi! That was so awesome!" Kioko chirped as she ran to her rabbit friend.

"Kioko? You're alive?" Kioshi asked happily. Kioko picked him up and cradled him in her arms gently, knowing he was tired and in pain.

"Yeah, I'll tell you later. Let's go." Kioko insisted as she leapt away.

"Something tells me this was Naraku's doing! Damn!" Inuyasha hollered, slamming his blade down on a chunk of flesh from a demon he killed earlier. Kioko grimaced as she approached, still holding Kioshi in her arms.

"Oh no! Is he alright?" Kagome asked worriedly as she ran up to Kioko, who handed the rabbit over to the human girl.

"He's fine. He's just really tired." Kioko said back.

"You! Stupid dog-bitch! When you broke the barrier to the well, you allowed everyone to come and go as they please! I'm sure Naraku summoned that stupid tiger and tried to kill Kagome with it while distracting the rest of us! Where were you?" the half-demon snarled angrily. Kioko crossed her arms and glared back at him.

"You don't get it, do you? I already told you; only certain people can come and go as they please. I'm pretty sure Naraku, or anyone else except you, Kagome and the Zodiac warriors, can pass through." Kioko explained.

"Bullshit! Why did the tiger attack Kagome?" Inuyasha asked.

"He was after me, not Kagome. She just happened to be with me at the time because you were busy talking to some other woman. Do not talk to Kioko like this is her fault." Kioshi stated sternly, still being held by Kagome, who pouted slightly and looked away.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said.

"What, Kagome? Are you going to agree with that stupid rabbit? He's the whole reason you were in danger to begin with!"

"SIT!" Kagome bellowed. Kioko and Kioshi watched with amazement as Inuyasha was pulled to the ground, a crater being formed from his body striking with a force.

"Oh my," Kioshi murmured, lowering his ears to where they lopped to each side of his head, his nose twitching nervously.

"Haha, whoa…can I try?" Kioko asked Kagome innocently.

"You can, but it only works with me." Kagome replied blandly. Kioko smiled widely and pointed at Inuyasha.

"Sit!" Kioko chirped. Nothing. Inuyasha groaned as he stood up from the crater. Kioko pouted and placed her hands on her hips.

"Sit!" Kioko shouted.

"I told you," Kagome began with irritation, but Kioko had screamed, "sit" as she grabbed her hammer and pounded the half-demon on the head with just enough force to knock him back to the ground.

"Haha, yay! It worked!" Kioko celebrated, chasing her rear-end as if she had a tail, but she forgot she was in her human form.

"Oh, Kioko," Kioshi groaned, rubbing his head with his paw. Kagome giggled as she turned around. It was kind of cute to her.

0000000000000

"So, each warrior has three different forms, a special weapon and can control a certain element?" Kagome asked, making sure she heard Kioshi correctly. She was currently bathing and relaxing in a hot spring and Kioshi was behind a rock with his back turned so he could not see her and cause her discomfort.

"Yes, for example, my weapons, as you know, are double-axes and I can control the wind." Kioshi answered.

"And the tiger? What's his element?"

"Fire. He and the dragon are fire. Myself and the rooster are wind."

"What about Kioko? What's hers?" Kagome chirped, swimming to the edge of the spring and resting her head on her arms as she looked at Kioshi, who still sat with his back turned towards her.

"I am not sure. Six of us have discovered out elements. The other six have not. Kioko, being the youngest of us, will probably not discover her element for a long time. It takes focus and, well, you and I both know that the word "focus" isn't even a real word to her." Kioshi said, ending his statement with a chuckle. Kagome smiled in agreement.

"She is so cute, though. I feel like she doesn't even want to be a warrior. She just wants to play." Kagome replied. Kioshi gave a curt nod.

"Yes, she definitely doesn't like to fight…but she will if the time calls for it."

"Hm…that's sad. I wish there was some way to release you two from having to fight and you can go back to doing whatever." Kagome murmured. Kioshi heard her and immediately frowned. The last woman he served promised him she would release him from his duties and instead cursed him and the eleven other animals to being slaves to whoever called upon them. The woman begged for them to help her and once the war was over, she didn't keep up her end of the deal and backstabbed all of the Zodiac warriors, turning them into statues and scattering them about the planet.

"Are you alright?" Kagome asked Kioshi. She had a towel wrapped around her and was standing in front of the rabbit-man.

"Yes. Although, I'm still quite tired." He replied.

"Well, the water is great. Relax and then take a long nap." Kagome suggested as she walked away to get dressed.

"I will." Kioshi said as he quickly undressed and stepped into the warm water and sitting down.

Kagome snuggled beneath her blanket and watched as Shippo bounced up and down on Kioko's stomach. The dog-girl had removed her hammer and armor and was now dressed in her loose robes. Kioko laughed constantly, her face red from lack of air.

"Hahahaha! That…that t-tickles! Aaahhh! Hahaha!" Kioko cried out, tears falling from her face as her limbs shook and tensed up. Shippo laughed and giggled as he continued his onslaught.

"Can you two shut up?" Inuyasha asked harshly.

"Inuyasha, let them have fun. You shut up." Kagome growled back at him. The half-demon's ears twitched nervously and he immediately closed his mouth. Kagome let out a sigh and wished that Sango and Miroku would return soon. It worried her when they were out for so long. She looked up when she heard footsteps and realized it was Kioshi. He placed his armor and axes next to Kioko's pile of armor and her hammer.

"Hey, Kioshi," Kioko called out after she and Shippo finished their playtime.

"Hm?" the rabbit hummed. He opened his tired eyes when Kioko snuggled against him and looked up at him pleadingly.

"Scratch my belly," she said. Kioshi kept silent, but he heard Kagome's amused giggles, which she muffled with her hand. He felt a gust of wind when Kirara landed, Sango and Miroku sliding from her back.

"It was a false lead." Sango announced with defeat.

"Aw, shoot." Kagome hissed.

"If I were a bastard, where would I hide?" Inuyasha asked sarcastically, keeping his eyes closed and his arms crossed. He was getting irritated with Naraku's little game of Hide-and-Seek.

"Sorry. We tried our hardest." Miroku stated.

"I'm going to go bathe." Sango announced as she walked away.

"I'll go with you and watch for,"

"Stay away, monk!" Sango interrupted as she slapped Miroku.

"Ouch." Kioshi whispered. Kioko giggled and sat up.

"Even I could feel the burn on that one." Kioko chirped, flinching when Kioshi pounded his fist on her head to keep her quiet.

"How about on that one?" Kioshi asked playfully.

"Yep…definitely felt the burn on that one." Kioko giggled nervously.

000000000

Kioko yawned as she woke up, shaking her body to help stretch her muscles. She realized she was still in her human form and giggled. She pulled her armor on and strapped her hammer to her waist before running off to visit Rin. Kioko leapt from branch, to the ground and back to the tree branches. Kioko landed at the riverside where Rin and Jaken waded in the water to catch fish, Sesshomaru resting against a tree not far away.

"Hi Rin! Ready to play?" Kioko chirped as she ran up to the girl.

"Um…who are you?" Rin asked. Kioko smiled and transformed into her white Labrador dog form, panting excitedly and wagging her tail.

"Oh it's you! Want to help us catch some fish?" Rin asked while petting the dog's head.

"And then we can play?" Kioko asked.

"Yeah, of course! Come on!" Rin giggled as she ran back into the water. Kioko ran after her and was more than happy to splash around in the water for a bit. Jaken didn't seem too happy about her presence and Sesshomaru was still asleep…or was he? Kioko decided not to find out and be wrong. She dipped her snout in the water and missed the fish narrowly. She instantly looked up and grabbed Rin, leaping out of the way as a large tree trunk went flying down the river, snagging Jaken and taking him away. Sesshomaru was already on his feet, sword pointed at the approaching horse.

"Oh Kioko! I'm ready to play again, my pretty little bitch! Hahaha!" Takara chortled. Sesshomaru went to attack, but he stopped when he saw the dog warrior in her blue armor tackle the horse into the river. She climbed onto the horse's back and sunk her fangs into his muscled neck, dragging him beneath the water with her own weight.

"Oh no! Doggy!" Rin cried worriedly. She hoped her dog friend was alright. Beneath the water, Takara freed himself from Kioko's grasp and swam for the surface. Kioko grabbed his hind legs and pulled him back down before jumping out of the water herself. She grabbed her hammer and let out a snarl of anger. Takara burst from the river as well and was pounced on by the waiting dog. She held him down with one paw and raised her hammer with the other.

"Wait! Stop! Noooooo!" Takara wailed, but Kioko slammed her hammer down on his chest forcefully. The horse was engulfed in a blinding, golden light as he shrank back down to a statue. Kioko transformed into her dog form and shook the water from her white coat. She was proud of herself. She didn't kill Takara, but she defeated him and turned him back into a statue, which means he was aware of what happened and could wallow in that for a while.

"Are you alright?" Rin asked the dog. Kioko's tail wagged as she pranced up to Rin, licking the girl in the face.

"Play now!" Kioko begged.

"Alright!"


	4. Chapter 4

Aaaahhhhhh!

AN- Just to let you guys know, the tiger's name from the other chapter is "Tora" not "Tara." My brain was derpin' big time that day.

Kagome let out a groan as she woke up from the forest floor. She couldn't remember what happened, where she was or why. The young girl sat up and rubbed her head with her hand, noticing how badly her head was pounding. It hurt so badly. She sat for a few more moments before standing up and brushing the dirt from her bruised legs. Kagome walked a few steps and gasped when she saw a bloodied and battered Inuyasha, passed out on the ground.

"Oh, Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled as she knelt down and checked to see if he was breathing. What was going on?

"K-Kagome," a small voice trembled. Kagome turned her head and saw the small fox demon crawling out of the bushes. He had a bruise on his face otherwise he was unharmed.

"Shippo! Shippo, what happened?" Kagome asked when she cradled him in her arms.

"It was Naraku! He attacked us when we were sleeping last night and he got us good." Shippo explained with tears in his eyes.

"Don't move. You've been injured severely." Kioshi's voice brought relief to Kagome. She watched as he walked up with Sango cradled in his arms. She was beat up pretty harshly as well, but she was conscious and angry.

"Damn it! I can walk!" Sango snapped.

"But your arm is broken and I'm positive you have a few broken ribs. Relax." Kioshi insisted, looking down at Kirara. The cat mewed worriedly and pawed at his leg.

"Where is Miroku?" Kagome asked.

"I am not sure. I'm surprised I even found Sango." Kioshi replied, kneeling down and placing Sango gently on the ground.

"Maybe Kioko is with him," Sango said aloud after taking a few breaths to pass the pain.

"Yeah," Kagome sighed, staring at Inuyasha sadly.

"Is everyone alive?" Miroku asked as he limped onto the scene, using his staff to help him walk. He sat down next to Sango and let out a huge breath.

"Was Kioko not with you?" the rabbit quizzed.

"No. I haven't seen her. I'm sorry." Miroku said back. Kioshi felt a slight panic rise in his chest. She didn't return to camp when she left the previous night. What if Naraku got to her?

"Kioshi, I need your help. We have to find a safer place to rest and heal." Kagome said to the rabbit. Kioshi nodded and transformed into his rabbit warrior form. He picked up the unconscious Inuyasha and watched as Miroku helped Sango onto the transformed Kirara. Kioshi knelt down lower for Kagome, who grabbed onto his armor and heaved herself onto his back with Shippo.

"Let's hurry before something else finds us, too." Miroku suggested.

Kioshi, being ahead of Kirara, found an abandoned hut, but when they entered, they found it wasn't abandoned. It was a hut that was meant for tired and weary travelers to use. It had some medicinal and other helpful items scattered about the shelves and a few mats to lay on.

"What luck." Kagome sighed as she slid from Kioshi's back. The rabbit warrior transformed into his human state so he wouldn't take up so much room. It was a wonder how he fit inside the hut's doorway in the first place. Kioshi placed Inuyasha on a mat and let Kagome tend to him. Sango was placed on the other mat as Miroku tried to help with Sango's injuries.

"Monk, aren't you injured as well?" Kioshi asked.

"It's a cut on my leg, nothing serious. I'll tend to it in a moment." Miroku replied with a smile.

"I'm going to find Kioko. She could be of a lot of help at this moment." Kioshi announced, leaving the hut and running away, trying to catch her scent and call to her with his mind.

"Aahhh!" Kioshi yelped when he almost literally collided with the dog-girl. Kioko was almost flying on her way to him.

"Hey! What is it?" Kioko chirped, unaware of what happened the previous night. She was out and about, sniffing and exploring places.

"Kioko, where have you been?" Kioshi snapped with annoyance. Kioko shrugged and returned his anger with indifference.

"Out and about. Nowhere specific." She replied.

"You…come on." Kioshi hissed as he ran back to the hut with Kioko following his lead. When the dog-girl entered the hut, she felt her heart drop. They were all seriously hurt.

"Kioko, can you heal them?" Kioshi asked. Kioko observed them and sighed.

"I can help a little."

"Don't worry about cuts and bruises, alright? Focus on serious injuries." Kioshi ordered. Kioko nodded in reply and walked over to Sango, kneeling down next to her. She gently placed her hands on Sango's abdomen and closed her eyes.

"Wh-what're you," Sango stuttered, but she stopped when she felt the relaxing warmth encircle her. A blue light surrounded Kioko's hands for a moment and stopped as Kioko backed away.

"Your ribs are fine now. Let me work on Inuyasha and whatever I have left, I'll give to your arm." Kioko said to the woman, who nodded in agreement. Kioko was able to heal most of the internal damage of Inuyasha. Most of his wounds were now flesh wounds that would heal within a day or two. Kioko gave the last of her energy to fix Sango's arm back to perfection before collapsing onto her back and panting with pain.

"What's happening to her?" Miroku asked when he saw the blood staining through the dog-girl's robes and armor.

"Whatever injuries she heals, she has to take…something she deserves for ditching us last night." Kioshi answered coldly. Kioko's eyes snapped open and everyone in the room froze when she let out an angry snarl as she turned over onto her stomach, transforming into her dog form, limping out of the hut to avoid conflict. Kioshi said nothing, crossing his arms and huffing.

Kioko continued limping along, blood staining her snow-white coat of fur. She finally transformed back into her humanoid form and continued walking, giving her front leg, now her left arm, a rest. She let out a breath of relief when she noticed her injuries were already quickly healing.

"Stupid rabbit," Kioko grumbled as she sat down. She couldn't believe how cold Kioshi was with her. She left every night and he never had a problem until something happened.

"Oh my, an injured girl," a dark voice chuckled. Kioko turned her head and felt slimy tentacles encircle her body, the last things she saw were two, blood-red eyes staring back at her with amusement.

00000000

"Kioshi, you should go find her." Kagome said softly, noticing the rabbit's low mood.

"Hmph."

"Seriously? What happened last night wasn't anyone's fault but Naraku's. She shouldn't be out on her own, especially now that he knows about you two."

"Fine. I'll go find her." Kioshi sighed. He stood up and walked out of the hut, following her scent of blood through the wind. He stopped where her scent ended and frowned. It was like she just disappeared. Perhaps she was with Sesshomaru? Kioshi transformed into his rabbit form and hopped away to find the demon lord. Maybe he knew where she was if she wasn't with him.

Sesshomaru inhaled through his nose deeply as he stared up into the starry night sky. This day had been particularly slow and slightly annoying. Naraku's scent was once again traceable, but it was just a dead end.

"How annoying." Sesshomaru grumbled to himself. He heard his name being called and turned his head, watching as Rin ran up to him, a snow white rabbit in her arms. The demon lord blinked when he saw the purple neckerchief around the rabbit's neck.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Look what I found! Can I keep him?" Rin asked.

"Aahhh! I…can't breathe!" the rabbit wheezed, his paws tapping out on her arm in desperation.

"Rin, give him to me," Sesshomaru ordered, reaching down with his only arm and grabbing the back of the rabbit's neck and holding it out in front of him.

"Why couldn't I have been the tiger? This is so irritating!" Kioshi shouted, his paws and legs swinging with agitation. Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow. Usually when Kioko spoke of the rabbit, she mentioned how calm and kind he was.

"Rabbit, if you are looking for your friend, she isn't here." Sesshomaru said. Kioshi's ears immediately lopped down with sadness.

"I was afraid of that. Please, have you seen her at all today?" Kioshi begged, putting his two paws together. Sesshomaru looked down at Rin, seeing as she was the one who played and talked with Kioko.

"I haven't seen her, my lord." Rin answered obediently. Sesshomaru looked back at the rabbit.

"There is your answer. You have five seconds to get out of my sight," Sesshomaru announced as he dropped Kioshi. Kioshi landed on all fours and stood his ground, never looking away or backing up from the demon lord.

"I am not in the mood to be fucked around with! I am a warrior and I expect to be treated honorably, just as I have treated you!" Kioshi shouted as he transformed into his warrior rabbit form, now towering over Sesshomaru.

"You asked a question and you were given an answer! What more do you want? A carrot?" Jaken shouted back as he ran up to fight for his master. Jaken was pulled out of the way by Sesshomaru as one of Kioshi's axes sliced into the ground.

"And stop with the damn rabbit jokes! I may be a rabbit, but I can still kill you with barely any effort, you little toad!" Kioshi growled. He quickly slashed and cancelled out Sesshomaru's green whip with his other axe.

"Rabbit stew sounds like an adequate dinner tonight," Sesshomaru stated with no emotion.

"At least when I try to get to know someone, I don't sniff their ass…nor do I piss on them to claim them," Kioshi shot back arrogantly. Sesshomaru's golden eyes narrowed and he leapt at the rabbit warrior.

"Strange…I think I prefer the hyper mutt over you," Sesshomaru admitted as his blade clashed with Kioshi's axes.

"Hahahaha! I wonder why? You planning on having puppies with her, too?"

"Silence!" Sesshomaru barked, his sword's aura throwing Kioshi back. The rabbit landed on his hind legs and chuckled a bit.

"You an Inuyasha are definitely related, if not already twins!"

"…" Sesshomaru kept his mouth closed, but he could feel his rage bubbling way past his boiling point.

"Come here, doggy!" Kioshi taunted. Sesshomaru responded with a charge and a strong swing of his sword that sent waves through Kioshi's axes and up his arms.

"Haha, good boy! Good boy! Who's a good boy?" Kioshi continued mocking in a baby talk as he basically dodged and blocked. He wasn't really in the mood to fight, but this was too much fun. It was now no longer a wonder why Kioko was always hanging out with him. She probably drove him absolutely insane and because of Rin, he wouldn't dare do a thing to her. Kioshi then decided that was enough fun for the evening and summoned a gust of wind to stun the demon lord for a moment.

"Hm?" Sesshomaru grunted when the wind died down and he saw the white little bunny disappear into the forest. Sesshomaru placed his sword back in its place and turned around. Today was definitely an annoying day.

00000000

The next morning Kagome woke up a little more peacefully than she did the previous day. She yawned and realized that Inuyasha was gone from his mat. She stood up and walked outside, seeing him sitting in the grass and munching on some of the snacks Kagome brought in her backpack.

"Are you feeling better?" Kagome asked Inuyasha, who nodded enthusiastically.

"Yup…a whole…hell of a lot…better!" he said in between chomps of the potato chips. Kagome patted his shoulder while smiling and looked over, seeing the little cat Kirara playing with Shippo and Kioshi.

"Hm, Kioko isn't here," Kagome whispered.

"Nope! She's somewhere though! I can feel it!" Inuyasha announced loudly as he stood up, throwing his fist in the air, as if he were about to do something of epic proportions. Kagome cocked an eyebrow and said nothing. He sure was in a strangely good mood, considering all that happened.

"Hahaha! Inuyasha, watch this, watch…this!" Sango called out as she threw her weapon into the ground and balanced on top of it with one hand.

"Wait! I know how to make it even better!" And with that statement, Inuyasha leapt in the air and balanced on one of Sango's feet with his own hand. It was an energetic balancing act and it was scaring Kagome…a lot.

"Um, Kioshi," Kagome called out.

"It's just a side-effect from Kioko's healing abilities! It should wear off soon!" Kioshi called back assuredly.

"Kagome, hurry! Use your metal box thing and take a picturerer or whatever it's called!" Inuyasha pleaded from his post. Kagome heard Miroku approaching and turned her head.

"Good morning, Miroku." She said.

"Well, I was expecting breakfast when I woke up…but this is good enough, I guess," Miroku announced with a smile.

"Hurry! We're losing our balance!" Sango shouted. Kagome ran to her bag and pulled the camera out. She quickly turned it on and snapped a shot right before the two fell and tumbled to the ground and instead of hearing pain-filled groans, the air was filled with giggling and laughter.

"Did you get it? Let me see!" Sango said as she ran up to Kagome.

"Me too!" Inuyasha added, also running to the girl with the camera. Kagome brought the picture up on her camera and let them look at it as they patted one another on the back.

"That was so awesome!" Sango giggled.

"Yeah! I wonder if we can somehow use that move against Naraku! I wonder what he would do once he saw how bad ass that is!" Inuyasha chirped.

"He would probably just kill you…after he pisses himself laughing," Kioshi announced as he approached in his human form.

"Ahaha, you read my mind," Miroku chuckled.

"You're sure it's temporary?" Kagome asked Kioshi.

"Yes…I speak from experience." Kioshi replied with a nod. Kagome giggled as she tried to think of a hyper Kioshi. Then she began thinking about how no one could replace Kioko's spirit. She was too innocent and out there.

"I hope she's alright," Kagome murmured. Kagome looked up when she heard a demanding roar as a white tiger approached the group proudly, an orange neckerchief around his neck. Kioshi immediately stepped forward and pulled his axes from his back.

"What do you want, Tora?" Kioshi demanded.

"Put your axes down, Kioshi. I have not come to fight." Tora replied calmly. Kioshi placed them on his back and noticed the limp in the tiger's front right leg.

"You're injured. What happened?" Kioshi asked. Tora let out a long sigh and transformed into his humanoid form. He was a tall man with perfect, straight posture. He also had short white hair like Kioshi and was clothed in white robes and orange armor. He looked older than Kioshi and he had some barely visible wrinkles that almost looked like his tiger stripes.

"I was looking for some food and Kioko ambushed me." Tora said in his deep voice.

"You lie! You and I both know Kioko would never fight unless you attacked her!" Kioshi insisted.

"I promise you, Kioshi, I did not. After my fight with you, I decided to go alone and try to train more. The reason I sent Takara after Kioko instead of going myself is because I, as a warrior, would never pick on that innocent soul." Tora explained, his orange eyes blazing into Kioshi's purple ones.

"So, she ambushed you? Did she say why or if she was bored or something?" Kioshi asked as he invited Tora to relax with the group and let Kagome care for his obviously broken arm. The tiger-man sat down inside the hut and held his arm as Kagome placed a board on top and on bottom to set it before wrapping it and creating a sling around his neck.

"Thank you, kind one. I apologize for endangering you and your friends with my silly mission." Tora said to Kagome as he bowed his head with respect.

"Oh, no worries. You didn't hurt anyone…except Kioshi." Kagome stated.

"Well, the rabbit was asking for it," Tora's tone changed to slightly arrogant with this statement.

"Kioko…what happened with her?" Kioshi asked impatiently.

"I was looking for food, particularly by the streams and she came out of the bushes and was snarling mad. She looked so rabid and I honestly had to use a few moments to make sure if it really was Kioko or not." Tora explained calmly.

"In her dog warrior form?"

"Yes. She wielded her hammer like she was out to kill. I tried my hardest to incapacitate her and talk to her, but she wouldn't talk, she just…growled, barked and snarled…oh and drooled. There was lots of drool."

"Was she foaming at the mouth? I hope she didn't catch rabies or something!" Kagome said worriedly.

"No foam. She did catch me in the arm with her hammer and just as she was about to finish me off, she stopped for some reason and lumbered away, growling." Tora finished.

"That doesn't sound like her at all, but I trust you when you say it was her. Which direction did she go in?" Kioshi asked as he stood up.

"She was heading west, definitely." Tora said.

"Oh no," Kioshi moaned as he realized who was west.

"What?"

"Sesshomaru is currently west. I can guarantee that's whom she's going for! I don't know why she would, but I can feel it!" Kioshi announced as he ran out of the hut.

"Inuyasha, we have to go! Miroku, stay here with Sango!" Kagome ordered, noticing Sango was asleep on her mat. Miroku nodded and watched as Kagome grabbed her bow and arrows before climbing onto Inuyasha's back. The half-demon leapt away, following Kioshi's scent.

0000000

"Oh, Kioko! You're here! Hahaha!" Rin called out happily when she saw the dog warrior approaching. Rin and Jaken were waiting for Sesshomaru to return. He left to get something and told them to stay until he returned.

"Grrrr!" Kioko growled when she realized Sesshomaru was not there…but his followers were there. Surely the scent of their blood and dead bodies would get him to come quickly. Kioko slammed her left paw down, trying to squish the girl, but that stupid, two-headed dragon steed saved the girl in time. Kioko lifted her paw from the crater and in her right paw was her trusty hammer.

"Ah-Un! Get Rin out of here!" Jaken ordered to the two-headed dragon, which nodded with both heads and flew away with the devastated Rin on its back.

"Foolish little imp! I'm looking for your master! Don't interfere!" Kioko snarled as she slammed her hammer down at Jaken. He jumped out of the way, but was hit with the energy wave the hammer sent out.

"Mmgrrrr!" Once Kioko realized Jaken wasn't moving anytime soon, nor was Sesshomaru making an appearance, she decided to follow Rin and the two-headed dragon. She placed her hammer on her waist with her chains and got on all fours, running through the forest and knocking down trees as she went. Kioko came to a field that approached some hills and standing on one hill was Sesshomaru, who had a crying and very upset Rin cowering behind him, latched onto his leg tightly.

"So, you find defenseless little girls fun to chase, do you?" Sesshomaru asked calmly as Rin backed away from him to let him fight.

"Yeah!" Kioko replied in a happy tone that mocked her usual happy.

"Well, how about you and I play a game now?" Sesshomaru said dangerously as he pulled his sword out and held it beside him. Kioko got back down on all fours, her long tail waving back and forth tauntingly.

"Game time! I'm it!" Kioko barked before taking a huge leap and lunging with her claws and fangs at the ready. Sesshomaru stood his ground and let the huge dog warrior come to him. He could tell by the red color of her eyes that she was not herself. Even her usually light aura had changed and darkened quite considerably. Someone was controlling her because her movements were no longer fluid or smooth, but forced and slower.

"Rin, go now!" Sesshomaru ordered as he lifted his sword to use its aura to blast the dog warrior backwards, but strangely enough, it didn't and Sesshomaru was caught a bit off guard as Kioko's other paw thrust forward and knocked into his armored stomach. Sesshomaru landed on his feet and showed no emotion or any signs of pain.

"Hahahaha…heh…you're it," Kioko growled mockingly. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed with irritation. He ran at Kioko and swung his sword, watching as she dodged, but not as smoothly as usual. Sesshomaru began swiping at her feet and paws, knowing that he could trip her up. Kioko slipped backwards, but she compromised and lunged forward with her head, trying to bite Sesshomaru, but the demon lord countered by leaping up to meet her half way and to uppercut kick her in the mouth. Kioko let out a howl as she fell backwards and to make sure she got the point, Sesshomaru leapt forward and gave her another sharp kick to the head.

"Now you're it." Sesshomaru announced when he landed a small distance away from her. Kioko rolled back onto her feet and shook her head slightly before letting out a snarl of irritation, but she didn't attack. She remained in place.

"What's wrong? Don't you want to play?" Sesshomaru asked, aiming the tip of the sword at her, prepared to fire an attack and end this stupid game. Again, Kioko remained and was now quiet and still…almost like a statue.

"Kioko! Kioko, stop it!" A voice called out. Sesshomaru watched as the fully armored rabbit warrior hopped in front of him and Kioko.

"Don't think I won't fire right through you to get to her," Sesshomaru warned.

"Shut up!" Inuyasha barked as he attacked his brother, who easily dodged him and kicked him in the stomach.

"Kioko…don't you recognize me?" Kioshi asked, noticing how she didn't react to his arrival or any other movements of other people. Usually she was all over him when he was around.

"Get used to it. She might have an even more difficult time recognizing you after I lop off her head!" Sesshomaru shouted as he flew at her, his sword ready for the kill. Kioko grabbed her hammer and slammed it down, once again creating the protective force field and sending Sesshomaru flying backwards like before. He landed on his feet and leapt at her again.

"Inuyasha! She has three tainted jewel shards in her! One in her neck, one in each arm!" Kagome called out when Inuyasha recovered and ran to protect the dog warrior from his brother.

"Kagome, fire an arrow at Kioko!" Kioshi hollered.

"But…I'll hurt her!" Kagome said back.

"Your arrows cannot harm any of the Zodiac warriors, but the holy power may purify her! Just do it!" Kioshi ordered as he flung his axe at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru dodged it easily and glared. He was getting tired of this.

"Here it goes!" Kagome murmured as she loaded an arrow and shot it at the dog warrior. Kioko was too preoccupied to notice and before she could react, the arrow struck her in the chest and disappeared, but the holy powers instantly froze her movements and forced the tainted shards from her body.

"It worked!" Kagome cheered.

"I've got you," Kioshi said softly as he transformed into his human form and caught the human Kioko. She looked up at him with her big blue eyes and looked down with sadness.

"I'm sorry." She said to him.

"Don't be, friend. I'm just glad you're fine." Kioshi replied. Kioko pushed away from him and stood on her own, looking over and seeing the little girl. Kioko transformed into her dog form and lowered her head as she slowly approached Rin. Rin saw her and closed her eyes as she fell to her knees.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Help!" Rin called out frantically. Sesshomaru ran at Kioko, ready to kill the damn dog, but he stopped when he heard the sad whining. Rin stopped crying and looked up, seeing the dog that had tears running down her furry face.

"Don't…b-be…afraid," Kioko begged as she tried her hardest to hold back her own crying. Rin wiped the tears from her own face and held her hand out and petted Kioko on the head assuredly.

"I'm not anymore. Don't be scary ever again, alright?" Rin whispered as she hugged the white dog. Sesshomaru's eyes widened a bit as he placed his sword back in the sash on his hip. He immediately grew disgusted when Kioko's tail wagged happily. How could Rin hold onto that mutt after what had just happened? Then again, when he first met Rin, he tried to scare her off too and it definitely didn't work. Even being an asshole didn't work.

"I can't play today…but maybe tomorrow." Kioko said as she licked Rin's cheek before running away with Kioshi, Kagome and Inuyasha.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin said.

"Hm?" the demon lord hummed to let her know he was listening.

"It wasn't her fault. Please don't be mad at her." Rin begged quietly. Sesshomaru looked down and kept his face expressionless.

"It is you who plays with her. I couldn't care less what you do with her. However, the next time she pulls a stunt like that, I will not hesitate from killing her." Sesshomaru said before walking away.

"Thank you, my lord." Rin said, following him with Ah-Un. She knew he wouldn't kill Kioko. He was just in a bad mood at the moment.

AN- Poor doggies.


	5. Chapter 5

Aw Nuts

"Ah, much better," Kagome sighed as she collapsed on her bed after taking a bath and drying her hair. She giggled when Kioko, in dog form, waltzed over to her and began sniffing and licking Kagome's face inquisitively.

"Stop, stop! It tickles!" Kagome cried out.

"Back off, mutt!" Inuyasha growled, picking Kioko up by the scruff of her neck. She let out a defiant growl and watched as Kioshi leapt from Kagome's desk and kicked Inuyasha in the face with his foot.

"What's going on up there? Did you two break another lamp?" Kagome's mom called out.

"Uh, no Mom!" Kagome yelled back.

"Hungry!" Kioko panted happily.

"Not now! You know the rules! No transforming out of your animal forms!" Kagome hissed, placing her ear against her door to listen for approaching footsteps. Kioshi leapt onto Kioko's head and held her mouth shut with his small white paws.

"Hide!" Kagome whispered when the footsteps began walking up the stairs. Kioko let out a low whine as she tried to squeeze under the bed. Kioshi was lucky. He merely hid under the desk to keep out of sight.

"What was the noise then, Kagome?" her mom asked as she opened the door and walked in.

"Inuyasha fell off my bed…because I pushed him…off my bed," Kagome explained quickly and with a broad smile.

"Right. Well, Buyo wants some attention, think you can give him some?"

"Uh, uh," Kagome stuttered, trying to think if Kioko had a problem with cats. The dog-girl damn near steamrolled Kagome when the little flea demon, Myoga, landed on her shoulder.

"Meow," Buyo mewed as he slowly entered the room. Kioko smelled him and growled, crawling out from under the bed.

"Aahh! Kagome!" her mom screamed. Buyo hissed and raised his fur, batting at Kioko's face with his paw. Kioko barked and pounced, missing him by inches. Kioko chased the cat down the stairs, howling and barking loudly. She ran through the living room and knocked down Kagome's little brother and caught the cat in her jaws.

"Oh, Kioko, no! Put him down!" Kagome ordered frantically. Kioko's tail wagged happily as she placed the cat down and gave him a swat with her paw.

"She's not mean, Mom! She just likes to play!" Kagome hollered back at her mom, who picked the little boy up and comforted him.

"What else do you have hiding in your room?" her mom asked angrily.

"This," Inuyasha chirped, holding the rabbit up.

"Haha, bunny!" Sota chirped as his mom put him back on his feet. Inuyasha handed Kioshi over to the boy and watched as the rabbit squirmed while being squeezed into a hug.

"Kagome, why are you harboring all these animals in your room?"

"Because, Mom, I have to. I promised my friend, who owns them, that I would take care of them until she got back." Kagome explained exasperatingly while massaging her temples.

"Oh…well…she is kind of cute," her mom chirped when Kioko sat down in front of her and looked up with her puppy eyes. Kagome's mom smiled and patted her head before walking away, saying nothing more about the animals and taking Buyo with her.

Later that night, after studying for what seemed like forever, Kagome finally closed her book and looked over on her bed where Inuyasha lay, sound asleep with his sword. She yawned tiredly and looked on the floor where Kioko lay on her back, spread eagle for all to see, making little growls as she chased a rabbit through her dreams. Kagome looked around and saw Kioshi sitting on the windowsill, staring up at the moon quietly.

"I think the coast is clear for you and Kioko to go get something to eat now. I know you're both hungry." Kagome said in a low voice.

"Huh, huh, grr, food," Kioko snored as she slowly woke from her slumber. Kioshi looked back and nodded, hopping onto the floor and leaping onto Kioko's back as she slowly walked out of the room. Kioko's claws made a soft clicking noise with each step she took as she approached the kitchen.

"Kagome told me earlier that the food is in the giant white cube thing," Kioko whispered when she walked into the darkened kitchen.

"Over there!" Kioshi whispered, pointing with his paw. Kioko walked over and cocked her head with confusion. She had forgotten how Kagome explained how to open it.

"Is there some sort of spell or poem we have to recite?" Kioshi asked.

"I remember seeing Kagome's mom offering it food and it opened for her…but I'm hungry now." Kioko whined.

"Wait, those handles, maybe we pull on them to open it. Kioko, move closer so I can grab it," Kioshi ordered. Kioko did as he said and watched as he grabbed the handle with one paw and held onto her neckerchief with the other.

"Pull!" Kioshi said and Kioko moved back. They both heard a pop and felt the chill of the fridge as it opened, the light clicking on.

"Oh snap! It's angry! I don't like this! I just want food!" Kioko whined as she backed up from the contraption.

"It's not doing anything." Kioshi said to her. Kioko nodded and stepped forward and used her nose to push the door open even more. She saw another drawer and smelled vegetables coming from it. She used her teeth and pulled it open, letting Kioshi grab what he wanted. As for Kioko, she wanted the leftover pork in the dish. She pulled the dish out and dropped it on the floor, gnawing on it to get the lid open.

"Stop. I'll get it open for you," Kioshi whispered, prying the lid open and watching as Kioko inhaled the meat and yawned when she was finished. Kioshi grabbed a leaf of cabbage and leapt onto Kioko's back.

"Let's go." He said.

"Thirsty." Kioko replied, reaching in and grabbing a can with her jaws. She heard Kioshi gasp and heard another, feminine gasp.

"Oh…my God," Kagome's mom said, her voice faded with surprise, her hand covering her mouth. Kioshi and Kioko stared back silently. Oops.

"Wh-what,"

"Mrawr," Kioko grumbled as she closed the fridge by kicking it closed with her back leg. She pranced by Kagome's mom, can in her mouth and Kioshi still on her back with the cabbage leaf. The woman heard the clicking of the dog's claws as it climbed the stairs and entered Kagome's room, closing the door.

"Did you two scare my mom?" Kagome asked comically.

"Nope." The two animals replied, deciding to keep quiet about the encounter.

"Haha, I see you found the cabbage," Kagome giggled as Kioshi nibbled on the green leaf.

"It's tasty." He replied. Kagome looked over and saw Kioko rolling the can of soda back and forth with her nose and paw, occasionally gnawing on it with slight irritation.

"How do you open this stupid thing? I know there's liquid in there…I smell it, I hear it," Kioko growled. Kagome decided to stay still and stay silent, seeing as the dog was entertaining to watch. Kioshi did as well when he was finished eating. He got his liquids from the cabbage.

"Damn this," Kioko sighed, transforming into her human form and picking the can up.

"You see the tab on top? You snap it forward, then back," Kagome explained, going through the motions with her hands. Kioko looked down and did just that. Kagome was surprised the soda didn't explode and spray everywhere after being tossed around by the dog-girl. Kioko took one drink and Kagome had to cover her mouth. The look on Kioko's face was priceless as the soda sprayed from her nose, followed by her coughing and groaning.

"Really Kioko?" Kioshi asked with a sigh.

"It…it fizzed in my mouth and it went the wrong way!" Kioko cried as she began trying to expel the rest of the drink from her sensitive nose.

"Give me that. You can be such a baby sometimes." Kioshi said as he transformed into his human form, taking the can and shaking his head. He took a huge swig, expecting it to be smooth like water, but it fizzed, just like the dog had said and Kioshi tried to keep his mouth closed and he even pinched his nose shut, forcing it down his throat.

"It…burrrrrns!" Kioko whined, wiping her nose softly.

"See? That wasn't…so bad," Kioshi panted.

"Whatever."

"At least I swallowed, Kioko."

"I'm sure you did, Kioshi."

"Alright, you two have fun. I'm going to sleep." Kagome giggled.

"Yeah, some of us are already trying to," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Yeah, yeah, be quiet." Kagome yawned back, climbing on her bed next to him and turning her lamp off. Kioko and Kioshi shifted on the floor uncomfortably. It felt like they should have left the room.

"So this is how babies are made," Kioko whispered, now back in her dog form and resting her head on the bed, sniffing at the two sleeping beings.

"Kioko, you don't know how babies are made. Quit making assumptions." Kioshi regretted saying that when the dog turned around, transformed back into the human girl form. She gasped and looked at him wide-eyed.

"Do you know how babies are made?" she asked him innocently.

"Not a damn clue. Now go to sleep." Kioshi replied as he closed his eyes and crossed his arms. Kioshi tensed up when Kioko crawled closely to him and snuggled against him before she fell asleep. He knew she did it just to keep warm, but if she even had a clue, she would have been sleeping on the ceiling instead.

000000000

"Stupid rabbit! I can't believe you let your stupid dog go off on her own!" Inuyasha hollered as he ran down the stairs and out the backdoor. When Kagome had left for school that morning, Kioko followed out of curiosity and hadn't returned.

"Inuyasha, you really must refrain from the name-calling, my friend." Kioshi replied as he leapt onto Inuyasha's shoulder and held on for the ride.

"And I'm not your stupid friend, you stupid rabbit!" Inuyasha snipped in reply.

0000000

"Whoa, I don't think I'm in the right place," Kioko said to herself as she trotted down the hallway. Kagome's scent was mixed with hundreds other human scents, but Kioko was able to keep focused…for once. She kept her nose at the floor and her tail in the air as she cruised down the long hall, claws clicking on the tile.

"Hm…Kagome?" Kioko whispered when she came to a door.

"Kagome, you're next after Hojo," a man called loudly. Kioko could hear Kagome's groan of distaste.

"Alright, so I did my presentation on how an egg can actually withstand quite a bit of pressure if you apply the pressure to the correct place," a boy announced to his class, getting a few amused giggles.

"Eggs are yummy," Kioko said, standing up on her hind legs to peer inside the window of the door. She placed her paws on the door to help steady her and she listened in on what was going on. The boy's presentation was goofy and it made Kioko's stomach growl hungrily.

"Kagome, you're next!" the teacher called. Kagome let out a groan as she stood up and walked to the front. Truthfully, she didn't have a presentation. Just then, the door slid open and in walked the white door.

"Haha!" Kioko laughed, running to the front of the class and leaping on Kagome, who let out a squeal of terror.

"Kioko, what're you doing here? Uh, uh, bad girl! Bad!" Kagome scolded the dog, trying to play it off.

"Kagome, is this dog part of your presentation or what?" the teacher asked, pushing his glasses up on his face.

"Yes! Yes she is…don't talk and do what I say…haha!" Kagome played off while whispering to Kioko. The dog's tail wagged and she panted happily when she heard a few girls coo over how adorable she was.

"Alright, so my presentation is over the true intelligence of a dog. Now, I spent a two months training this dog, named Kioko, and I also had some professional help. She's still very much a puppy, but she is trained to do almost anything. Now, Kioko, stand up!" Kagome ordered. Kioko yipped as she stood up on her hind legs, everyone in the class chatting and giggling.

"Now dance!" Kagome chirped. Kioko began flinging her paws and kicking her legs.

"So your dog can do cute tricks, so what. What else?" the teacher asked coldly. Kagome stuttered a bit and went blank.

"Mrowr, rawl, rawl, rawl, yar!" Kioko mouthed off to the teacher, pushing her paw up to her nose and taking the same arrogant posture as the teacher. Everyone in the class erupted into laughter; Kioko's tail wagging happily.

"She can also add and subtract and do other mathematical things…I hope," Kagome breathed at the end. Kioko barked in reply.

"Twenty-one minus ten!" Kagome shouted.

"Woof…woof…woof…woof…woof…woof…woof…woof…woof…woof…woof!" Kioko barked in reply, watching as the teacher counted her barks.

"What's the square root of twenty five!"

"Arf, arf, arf, arf, arf!"

"Twenty five times ten, minus two, times five, divided by three to the zero power!"

"Woof."

"Good girl! Seriously!" Kagome giggled as she petted Kioko. Thank God the dog was smart.

"So, Kagome, I have a question," the teacher began.

"Yeah?" Kagome replied.

"Can your dog order pizza, too? Or maybe it can keep up your garden and sweep your house. I cannot believe you did this." The teacher said icily. Kagome let out a sigh and heard a few of her classmates murmur in disagreement with the teacher. Kioko began sniffing and walked over to an empty desk. Kagome noticed one of the students was missing. Kioko then began weaving in and out of the rows of chairs and desks.

"What's wrong, girl? Did you smell someone's lunch? Their dog? Drugs?" Kagome asked, her voice getting higher with each suggestion leaving her mouth. Kioko found the missing scent and it was coming from underneath the teacher's desk. Kioko leapt onto the teacher's desk, knocking the teacher onto his back.

"Kagome! Get this mutt…aahh!" the man screamed as Kioko began playfully growling and tugging on someone's shirt. Out came a girl in a student uniform from the teacher's desk. She stood up and straightened her messy hair, face almost as red as a tomato.

"Uh, uh, I-I can explain," the teacher began, stuttering with a red face as well. Everyone in the class, including Kioko, just stared back at him like, "I would love to hear this one."

Kagome began walking home with Kioko by her side. The girl couldn't believe that the dog broke into her school, interrupted class, performed a few tricks and then got Kagome's least favorite and hardest teacher, no pun intended, fired.

"Haha, did I make you proud? Did I? Did I? See? I'm a good helper, just like Kioshi!" Kioko chirped, constantly jumping in the air.

"Are you part rabbit, too? Haha, stop jumping so much." Kagome giggled.

"Can I have food, please?"

"Sure, right when we get home," Kagome exhaled with a smile.

"Yay! Ahahaha! Sesshomaru ain't got shit on meeeeeeeee! Ooh! Cat! Arf, arf, arf, arf!" Kioko hollered, taking off running after the said cat.

AN- Know what I've been doin'? Your mom.


	6. Chapter 6

Fussing Over Power

Kioko lay in the sunlight, napping after a game of tag with Rin. The little girl was talking with Jaken not too far away and Sesshomaru was gone. Kioko noticed that he was trying to avoid her as much as possible and that was fine with the dog warrior. She let out a yawn as she stretched and tried to wake from her nap.

"Hm? Storm clouds?" Kioko murmured as she stared across the sky, seeing the dark clouds gathering and seemingly traveling somewhere. Kioko inhaled through her nose and immediately let out a growl as she lowered her head and started blowing the scent from her nose. It was a terrible scent! It smelled like dead bodies mixed with...something.

"Aah! Gross, gross! Bleh!" Kioko whined, shaking her head and turning around, running towards the place where the clouds were gathering.

"Kioko, wait! Where are you going?" Rin called out frantically when she saw the dog leaving. Kioko was too focused to realize the little girl was following her. Kioko found the entrance to what looked like a castle. The part of the sky that was over the castle and the nearby field surrounding it was black and the smell of decay was worsening.

"Kioko, what's wrong?" Rin asked as she stood next to the dog. Kioko's ears perked as she turned her head.

"Rin, why are you here? It's dangerous! Go back!" Kioko insisted, pulling on the end of Rin's kimono with her teeth and trying to get her to get moving. Rin grabbed onto Kioko's neckerchief and pouted.

"But I'll be safer with you, won't I?" the little girl asked. Kioko let out a sigh and lowered her head.

"Climb on and hang on tight," Kioko said. Rin instantly smiled and climbed onto the big dog's back, still gripped onto the blue neckerchief. Kioko began trotting away. Her plan was to investigate the grounds quickly and then go find Kioshi. She was sure he sensed her call to him when she first saw the clouds.

"Haha, Lord Sesshomaru never lets me ride on his back! This is so much fun!" Rin giggled happily. Kioko tried to envision Rin riding on Sesshomaru's back, but it didn't work. Sesshomaru was possibly one of the most boring and uptight people Kioko had ever met.

"Oh no. Look at all the flowers…they're dead," Rin said when Kioko stopped at the field of dead and decayed flowers. Rin looked over the field and spotted something shiny, so she walked a few feet away and bent down to grab it. Suddenly, a huge gust of wind spilled through the field and Rin felt herself being pulled into the air. She let out a scream when she looked down and saw Kioko barking. The dog began running and reached a high speed before leaping into the air.

"What the…" the wind sorceress spat when the dog transformed into the giant dog warrior with blue armor. Kioko threw her paw forward and knocked the wind witch off the feather. Kioko landed on the ground right after Kagura landed. Rin's screams of terror became louder as the girl came falling to the earth, but Kioko held her giant paws out and caught her.

"Thank you!" Rin chirped. Kioko placed the girl on the back of her armor so Rin could hide in her armor and be safe. Rin squeezed her bottom half into the back and snuggled her face into Kioko's white fur while holding on.

"I remember you now. I didn't think you had three different forms." Kagura spoke as she opened her fan and held it across her torso.

"Oh yeah, you're Naraku's subordinate," Kioko growled.

"Naraku's intention was to attract a few enemies here, but instead he got you. I'm here to take the girl and get rid of you. Or you can give me the girl and get out of here?"

"Or I can kick your ass and keep the girl and pay Naraku a little visit with my little friend here," Kioko retorted as she grabbed her hammer and loosened the chains with it from her waist. Kagura waved her fan and sent out her blades, but Kioko leapt out of the way and threw her hammer. It struck Kagura and sent the woman flying backwards. Kioko pulled the chain and brought her hammer back to her paw.

"Ha! Nailed it!" Kioko chirped. Kioshi probably would have hit her for the pun, but it was well worth it. Kagura let out an agonized growl, but she got to her feet and waved her fan again, sending four twisters in the direction of the dog warrior.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Where are you?" Rin cried as she gripped Kioko's fur tightly. Kioko slammed her hammer down and summoned a blue barrier. It deflected the twisters, which bounced off and raged elsewhere.

"I have no time for this!" Kagura shouted, leaping onto her feather and flying away.

"We need to go now!" Kioko announced as she leapt away. She was going to take Rin with her since Sesshomaru was nowhere to be found at the moment. She ran on all fours and decided to go back into her human form, Rin still riding on her back.

"Hey Kioko," Kagome called out when she saw the dog-girl running up to them.

"You…need…Naraku's castle…found it!" Kioko panted breathlessly as she bent forward, Rin slowly sliding off her back.

"It's the little girl who travels with Sesshomaru…what's she doing here?" Inuyasha asked as he walked up.

"Have you seen Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked Inuyasha innocently. Inuyasha crossed his arms and huffed as he looked away.

"Nope. He could be getting mauled by wolves for all I care." Inuyasha retorted coldly. Rin held her fists close to her body as tear filled her eyes.

"SIT!" Kagome hollered, sending the half-demon plowing into the earth. She knelt down and stroked Rin's head encouragingly.

"Sesshomaru's a bit too much for wolves to be able to take him down. He's fine, I'm sure of it." Kagome said to Rin. She nodded and turned to Kioko.

"What were you saying?" Kioshi asked as he hopped up to Kioko. Rin squealed excitedly as she pulled the rabbit into her arms and hugged him tightly.

"I said I found Naraku's castle!" Kioko shouted. Inuyasha leapt up from the crater he made and grabbed Kioko's collar.

"Where?" Inuyasha barked demandingly. Kioko slammed her forehead into his nose and pulled his hands from her clothing.

"That way!" she yelled back, pointing in the opposite direction.

"Put…me…down!" Kioshi breathed. Rin snuggled him even more and smiled.

"Nope!" Rin giggled. Kioshi sighed and transformed into his human form, Rin now dangling from his waist. The little girl looked up with a wide grin and laughed. Kioshi looked down at her blankly, unable to figure out why she was so obsessed.

"Can I call you Bunny?" Rin asked him.

"My name is Kioshi." The rabbit-man answered.

"You never said no, Bunny!" Rin laughed back. Kioshi let out a hopeless sigh as his head lowered. Kioko seemed to have been doing more than playing with this girl. She was teaching her how to be a tactless smart ass, too.

"How dreadful." Kioshi mumbled. He looked up and saw Kioko in her dog form, her jaws clenched on Inuyasha's robe as she tugged and growled at the half demon playfully. Inuyasha was not amused, but he pulled back while making growling noises as well.

"Stupid dog! Let go!" Inuyasha snarled. His only reply was a growl and Kioko viciously shaking her head in the negative and ripping his robe from his hands. Kioko pranced around proudly with the robe in her mouth before dropping it and waiting to lead everyone to the castle.

000000000000

"But…it was right here! I swear!" Kioko shouted, transforming into her human form and throwing her hands in the air.

"I knew you'd get lost," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Kioko, what have I told you about lying to people?" Kioshi warned as he crossed his arms. Rin was still hanging off his back, her small arms around his neck. He didn't mind. Once he agreed she could ride on his back, she became very quiet.

"I didn't lie! It was right here!" Kioko insisted pleadingly.

"She isn't lying, Bunny." Rin said. Kioshi frowned as he exhaled.

"Ooooh! Barrier! It's a barrier! I'll bet my tail! Barrier! Right there!" Kioko barked happily as she jumped up continuously, pointing in the same direction. Inuyasha ripped his sword out and the blade turned red. He sent an attack and everyone watched as the attack hit something that rippled. The barrier broke and opened, revealing the black skies surrounding the castle that smelled of corpses.

"See? Kioko's not a liar! I'm a good girl!" Kioko cheered as she ran up to Kioshi. The man smiled and reached out, patting her head as if to say "Sorry. And yes, good girl."

"Let's go get the bastard!" Inuyasha growled as he immediately ran off, Kagome calling after him hopelessly, knowing her voice fell on deaf ears. Sango picked Kagome up and they both rode on Kirara into the battleground.

"Rin, I want you to stay with Kioko," Kioshi said to the girl. Rin shook her head in the negative and held onto him tighter. Kioko cocked her head to the side, but she remained silent. Kioko knew what the little girl wanted. Lord Sesshomaru.

"Stay here, Kioshi! I'll be back!" Kioko called out as she ran away.

"Oh no you don't! I'm going with you!" Kioshi shouted, taking one leap and catching up with the girl easily. Naturally, his leg strength was pretty decent in his human form whereas Kioko's speed came from her dog forms when she was on all fours.

"But Sesshomaru doesn't like you! It won't work!" Kioko said with a whine.

"He doesn't like you either!" Kioshi growled.

"Yeah, but he's used to me," Kioko insisted.

"Whatever. We'll drop the girl off and return to the castle,"

"Sounds like a plan! Let's do it!"

00000000

Kioshi and Kioko returned to the castle as fast as their legs would allow them. When they arrived, they decided to devise a quick plan of action. Kioshi would go in first and Kioko would back him up from the rear. Kioshi held his axes in his hands and charged towards the castle, smelling the different scents of the group that went in.

"Kioshi, wait!" Kioko called out. Kioshi landed on the roof of the east wing of the castle and turned his head.

"What?" he asked.

"I…do I have to kill?" Kioko asked back, her blue eyes looking down with concern. Kioshi exhaled softly and stepped toward his partner.

"No, that's not your place. Leave that to someone else." Kioshi assured her. Kioko nodded with understanding and followed her rabbit friend into the foggy atmosphere. Kioshi held his arms out and began spinning, summoning a gust of wind to blow away all of the poisonous gases.

"Get down, stupid dog!" Inuyasha barked at Kioko. She turned at the sound of his voice; slightly irritated he called her "stupid dog" when he himself was stupid. Kioshi saw a woman behind the dog-girl, fan at the ready to strike, but the rabbit threw an axe and the blade cut her in the leg. Kioko heard the commotion behind her and turned around, seeing Kagura and growling angrily.

"Ready for a rematch?" Kioko asked the wind witch. Kagura held her injured arm with her hand and smirked, flicking her fan open with her free hand.

"It won't be much of a match," Kagura retorted. She regretted it when the giant snout of the white dog warrior lunged out and bit her fan, ripping it from her hand viciously. Then the dog swung its giant paw and sent Kagura flying. A rumbling sound came from Kioko's chest and Kagura recognized it as chuckling.

"Damn it! I am so tired of these stupid puppets!" Inuyasha hollered when Naraku's body hit the ground, being revealed as another puppet. Kagura quickly grabbed her fan and flew away.

"For some demon who is strong and sly, he is quite the coward." Kioshi commented.

"And that wind lady is stupid." Kioko added in. She and Kioshi regrouped with the others and decided to follow the scent of Kagura, hoping she would lead them somewhere.

"What the hell is going on? Now her scent is gone!" Inuyasha growled irritably.

"Yeah, I've lost it too," Kioko called from ahead of the group.

"I really wish he would decide whether or not he wants to fight us." Sango announced dryly.

"Yes, but do not forget, he plays these games to annoy and bother. If we let it get to us, then he wins." Miroku said calmly.

"I'm just going to shove my sword up his ass that much harder then!" Inuyasha huffed as he crossed his arms. Kioko transformed into her dog form and sat down, waiting patiently for someone to decide what to do next.

"Hungry." Kioko said to herself.

000000000

"Alright boys, let's get these put in back…be careful," a man said as he helped four other men carry the showcase of the remaining Zodiac warriors into the back.

"Damn this is heavy!" one man breathed, feeling the pain in his back rise.

"Alright, set it down before we break it!" another shouted. They all gently placed it on the floor to take a break and wonder what to do next.

"We need more help," one exhaled. Suddenly, a green light burst from the glass and hit the floor of the museum.

"Oh my fucking God! Not again! Aaahhhh!" a museum worker, who had experienced this four times, screamed. Now this was his fifth. From the pulsing light, a tall creature with horns rose. It was a snow-white ox that stood on its back two hind legs and had green armor similar to the four warriors before him. He easily picked the showcase up with his strong hooves and walked into the back room, placing it down and exhaling as he left the room. He turned around and pointed his hoof at the case.

"Assist me," he said sternly. A pink light burst into the floor this time and a fluffy white creature with horns rose as well. Unlike the ox's horns, these horns were longer and curled back and then forward. It was the sheep warrior and stood on its hind legs with pink armor.

"Where are we to go next?" she asked softly.

"To find the others." The ox said back as he left the building by making his own hole in the wall, the sheep following him less destructively.

000000000

"Weeeeee! Hahahaha!" Rin laughed as she held onto Kioko's neckerchief tightly. Kioko was just running in random patterns as fast as she could. She finally stopped when Sesshomaru made his return and he seemed more pissed than usual.

"My lord, what is it?" Jaken asked, quickly noticing Sesshomaru's bad mood. The demon lord's eyes narrowed as he pointed at Kioko with his finger.

"You," he began. Kioko let Rin get off her before getting in a stance and barking warningly.

"Follow me." Sesshomaru ordered sternly, turning around and flying away. Kioko cocked her head, but quickly ran after him, following his scent from the ground. She finally tired of running on all fours and transformed into her human form, leaping in the air and seeing the demon lord not too far ahead. He finally landed somewhere deep in the forest with Kioko right behind him. Kioko saw something hanging from a branch. It was encircled with gold and reflected both Sesshomaru and Kioko's faces from the distance.

"Oooh, pretty," Kioko yipped.

"Do you not sense the aura coming from it?" Sesshomaru asked, quickly interrupting Kioko's thoughts.

"Um…no. It's just a mirror." Kioko insisted. Sesshomaru kept his face expressionless, but truthfully, he wanted to roll his eyes.

"I found the mirror earlier and tried to break it, but it will not break. It emits the same aura as your hammer, or, something close to it. You can break the mirror because your hammer can pass through the barrier."

"Why do you want the mirror to be broken? You have issues." Kioko replied innocently. Sesshomaru stared at her and expected her to be smirking evilly, but instead, he found her to be looking at him as if she just stated a random fact. He knew she didn't have any tact, but that was damn ridiculous.

"Because I do not like that obnoxious aura calling to me! Because I can barely stand your obnoxious aura! Because I will plow you into the earth if you do not break it!" Sesshomaru growled.

"You'll do what to me?" Kioko asked, not quite listening to the demon lord.

"Now, Kioko!"

"Oh wow!"

"What?" Sesshomaru snapped, almost losing his composure entirely. Kioko clapped her hands together as she leapt around in a circle.

"You said my name! You said my name, you said my name, you said my name! That's the first time ever! Does that mean you want to be my friend now? Does it?" Kioko asked excitedly, her aura flaring with pure happiness. Sesshomaru wanted nothing more than to just disappear without a trace at that moment. Just…cease to exist. This girl…was absolutely…insane. Sesshomaru almost preferred Naraku's company to hers at the moment.

"I'll try to break the mirror, new friend! Hold on!" Kioko chirped, grabbing her hammer, the chains ratting as she did. Kioko charged her power into her hammer before running at the mirror. She swung the hammer and just as it connected with the surface of the mirror, a pink barrier shattered, but kept the mirror in tact.

"Oops," Kioko said as she slowly backed away from the mirror, finally recognizing what Sesshomaru was talking about.

"That's not an oops," a soft voice replied. Sesshomaru immediately pulled his sword out and stepped forward, noticing Kioko's shivering as she held her hammer with both hands. Before either dog could do anything, a bright pink light engulfed them. When the light died down, Sesshomaru blinked to correct his vision and get a sense of where he was. From the scents he was breathing in, they were still in the forest…or at least, a forest. It was not the forest of his land. He saw Kioko pacing back and forth, hugging herself and looking around nervously.

"Uh oh…uh oh, uh oh, uh oh! I shouldn't have done that! I told you that mirror didn't need to be broken! Oh no, oh no!" Kioko almost cried at that moment.

"Where…are we?" Sesshomaru asked when he looked up and instead of seeing the sky he saw a desert.

"A puzzle…her mirror transports her enemies to a different world and it's a puzzle and a maze and we will never get out because there is no solution! Oh Kioshi! I'm so sorry!" Kioko whimpered. Sesshomaru almost gagged. She had too much energy.

"Be silent! Now, tell me whose mirror we are inside and how do you know there is no solution? And why do you continue to rely on that rabbit?" Sesshomaru asked demandingly. Kioko stopped pacing and shivering and looked at him with nothing but the utmost confusion in her eyes.

"But…how can I answer those if you told me to be silent? Hahaha, you're silly." Kioko giggled harmlessly. Sesshomaru wanted to stick his sword in her face and just end it all, but she seemed to know more about this situation than he did, so killing her would have been a mindless thing to do…although, it would have been satisfying in all manners of the word.

"We should probably get to the desert since it's the second level of this place."

"And I take it we can't just fly up there, can we?" Sesshomaru asked darkly. He glanced at Kioko and was once again met with her stare of confusion.

"Who ever said that? I swear, either you're a hardcore pessimist or you are just one of the silliest people I have ever run into. Of course we can fly there." Kioko said in reply. Sesshomaru let out a quiet breath and leapt into the air.

"Oooh! Fluffy!" Kioko howled, grabbing onto Sesshomaru's fluff and snuggling it happily. Sesshomaru hoped this wouldn't take long. How could Rin take it?


	7. Chapter 7

Mirror of Despair and Spear of Hope

"I was having a gloomy day, but now, haha, I get to play! Sesshomaru finally said my name! I think he wants to play a game! Wooo! I'm so hungry! I'm so tired and really scared! But I don't care! No I don't! And will Sesshomaru's angry glares depress me, dog so fair? No they won't! Hahaha!" Kioko sang as she skipped and pranced in circles while following Sesshomaru around aimlessly in the desert plain of the wretched mirror of the sheep warrior.

"Stop singing." Sesshomaru demanded sternly. Kioko let out a breath, but she continued her wild flailing anyway.

"He's such a psycho! Such a psycho! He will not let me go! Will not let me go and flow…what? I'm not singing. I'm reciting lines." Kioko said to Sesshomaru, whose eyes were now crimson red.

"Stop…talking." Sesshomaru growled angrily. Kioko pouted and looked down as she let out a small whimper of sadness. Sesshomaru could almost see the dog-ears flattened against her head. Kioko let him get a few paces in front of her before she began walking, already feeling the boredom set in. How could Sesshomaru, a dog demon, be so trapped in his pride? It was the same with Inuyasha. It definitely had to run in the bloodline.

"What…what was your mother like, if you don't mind me asking?" Kioko asked as she caught up with the demon lord.

"I do mind." Came his short reply. Kioko frowned a bit as she dipped behind the dog demon and popped up on his other side, trying to get a different view of his face.

"I guess you won't answer anything about your father, either."

"My father was the strongest demon in this part of the world. He was honorable, intelligent and loyal up until his very last breath." Sesshomaru said aloud.

"Sooooo, I take it your mom was a whore or something? You can tell me about your father, but not your mother. It just screams psychological pain to me. Were you not hugged a lot?" Kioko questioned quickly. Sesshomaru stopped walking and whipped his body in her direction.

"And what would that have to do with anything?" he asked icily. Kioko shrugged and made a face that said, "It's so obvious."

"Well, for one, you're a prick and two, you're very uptight, meaning you were not hugged a lot, or free to express yourself. That's why you're so overbearing now when you order people around, because now you can express yourself, but you're doing it all wrong." Kioko explained, again her face showing nothing but the innocent as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Didn't I tell you to stop talking?" Sesshomaru retorted as he began walking again.

"Now you're changing the subject. That means I'm right."

"You have no idea,"

"Apparently I do."

"No, you do not! You were born as you are now! You've never had parents! You're a slave to whoever summons you, so what could you possibly know about parenting and relationships? Not to mention you are obviously a young soul, meaning you haven't experienced anything. You…know…nothing." Sesshomaru said back, his voice rising slightly over the wind, which had now picked up into a gust.

"You don't know anything about me!" Kioko called back.

"And you know nothing of me!"

"Yes I do! Don't deny it!"

"My mother was not a whore! She was a noble dog demon woman who was powerful and was considered to be the most respectable demon when it came to strategizing battle plans!"

"So why did your father mate with a human? Did your mom say something weird to him?"

"Be silent!" Sesshomaru roared, his aura flashing with his anger. He turned around and found the girl glaring back at him, ready to grab her hammer and defend herself.

"I'm not afraid of you, so you can stop trying to be scary anytime now!" Kioko shouted at him spitefully.

"You're not worth the effort," Sesshomaru said after calming down.

"Heh, a three-legged dog getting into a fight with a trained warrior-dog?"

"And you think I am not trained?"

"Not as well as me. I may be young and I may prefer not killing, but that doesn't mean I don't have the ability. I'll rip right through you when I'm backed into a corner." Kioko growled warningly. Sesshomaru said nothing back. Right now, his main goal was escaping from this ridiculous dimension.

0000000000000

"Hm…where is she?" Kioshi murmured as he leapt into a tree, looking around and sniffing the air. Usually Kioko was back from exploring by now. The rabbit heard a faint voice calling his name and leapt back onto the ground, landing in a squatting position. He saw Kagome climbing over a fallen tree and walking up to him, brushing her skirt off with her hands gently.

"Kagome? What are you doing here? You should be resting." Kioshi said with a frown.

"I wanted to make sure you were fine. You've been off today," Kagome replied.

"Oh. I've just been worried about Kioko. She hasn't come back yet and it's almost sundown." Kioshi said back to Kagome. Kagome giggled a bit as she looked away.

"She has been hanging out with them more often. Do you think she has a thing for Sesshomaru?"

"You mean a crush?"

"Yeah,"

"Haha, no. Kioko is much too innocent for such thoughts." Kioshi chuckled.

"I don't know. You don't think she would have a bit of puppy love in her?"

"Not for him. He's too boring for her."

"I see." Kagome sighed as she shivered a bit. Kioshi walked up to her and picked her up as he leap back to the camp. Maybe Kioko was asleep.

000000000000

"We've been walking for hours and we haven't gotten any further…what is this place?" Sesshomaru asked, trying to keep from panting with fatigue. The desert was intensely hot and there was no end in sight. He stopped walking when he didn't hear a reaction or a voice. He turned around and didn't see Kioko anywhere. Her scent was faint and was located a ways back. Sesshomaru leapt in the air and decided to see what she was up to. He saw the white speck in the sandy wind and landed, seeing that she was on her knees and was holding her left hand on her right shoulder.

"You're injured," Sesshomaru stated, smelling the heavy scent of blood. Kioko looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Sesshomaru asked calmly.

"You told me to be quiet." Kioko said back. The demon lord blinked. He didn't think she would take him so literally.

"The longer I stay here, the more injured I'll be," Kioko groaned as she stood up and let out a tired breath. Sesshomaru held his arm up to block the sand from blowing into his eyes. The wind was getting more and more furious as the moments passed by.

"Here it comes," Kioko said loudly as she closed her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Sesshomaru asked.

"We have to fight with our eyes closed! It's one of the monsters that has been trapped in this mirror for a long time!" the dog-girl shouted in reply as she grabbed her hammer and loosened the chains from her waist. Sesshomaru heard a wild howl sound before quick steps approached him. Sesshomaru jumped from the monster's path and narrowly escaped being pummeled into oblivion. He heard softer steps and recognized the scent as Kioko. He also heard the whipping noise from her spinning the chained hammer at the creature. The monster let out a howl of pain and for a small moment, the sandstorm died down. Sesshomaru opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of the red-skinned demon. It ran on four legs that were hoofed and then had two extra arms that held spiked clubs. The face of the demon was a tombstone-shaped stone that had a fierce face painted on the front. The monster whipped around and charged after Sesshomaru with unreal speed for a demon its size. Sesshomaru readied himself to strike and grabbed his sword, drawing it quickly while simultaneously slashing the monster's chest open. The demon let out one last, defeated roar as it turned to sand and blew away with a calmer wind.

"Man, that thing was ugly." Kioko chirped as she wrapped the chains around her waist to let her hammer hang by her side. Sesshomaru said nothing saw an opening in the sand. He took a step down and saw the staircase disappear into the darkness. The demon lord began walking down without a care in the world, Kioko following him a bit reluctantly.

000000000000

Inuyasha let out a shout as he ran after the tall, armored ox-monster. For some reason, his attacks just glanced right off the ox's armor and did nothing but tickle the creature.

"Die!" Inuyasha ordered, swinging his blade with all of his might at the creature's neck. The ox merely raised his hoof and blocked the attack before stomping the half-demon into the ground.

"Oushi! What is the meaning of this?" Kioshi shouted as he hopped up in his rabbit warrior form, twin-axes at the ready. The ox let out a warning snort from his nose, lowering his head to show his horns.

"This mutt attacked me first. I was originally looking for you," Oushi the ox replied with irritation. Kioshi's ears twitched as the rabbit readied himself for an attack. Oushi got on all fours and let out a ferocious roar as he charged full speed at the rabbit. Kioshi leapt into the air with full power of his strong legs, easily dodging the reckless charge of the ox.

"I'm so tired of this!" Kioshi shouted, swinging his arms from his body outward, sending purple blades from his axes and down at the ox. Oushi let out a roar of pain as he dodged one blade, but was struck with the other on his back. Inuyasha was back on his feet and had his sword ready again. Inuyasha swung the blade and sent out a wind scar, but the bull moved out of the way and the wind scar was heading straight at Kioshi.

"Kioshi, look out!" Inuyasha hollered loudly. The rabbit's ears twitched as the purple aura surrounded his body. Inuyasha watched with wonder as the rabbit bolted on all fours, the wind scar following the armored critter like a pack of wolves followed the leader. Kioshi charged at Oushi and leapt at the ox, kicking him in the face with his strong legs. The wind scar crashed into the bull as a secondary attack, knocking Oushi onto his back.

"How did you do that? You commanded my attack like it was nothing!" Inuyasha asked with wonder and slight jealousy. Kioshi looked at him and let one ear fold forward.

"Your attack relies on the rip in the winds. I control wind. Simply put, I merely controlled the wind and let the attack follow the splits created by me."

"My attack needs a rift in demonic winds to be summoned. You don't have demonic wind."

"No, but you and your sword do. Once you split the rift and create it, I only need to guide it elsewhere." Kioshi explained. The rabbit and half-demon stared at the knocked-out ox silently. Inuyasha was still in awe that a rabbit could deflect his strongest attack, but Kioshi knew that where there was the ox, the sheep was always around somewhere. The rabbit figured Kioko was somehow in danger caused by the sheep.

"Inuyasha, will you aid me in tracking down the sheep warrior?" Kioshi asked quickly. Inuyasha sheaved his sword and nodded, his expression showing his newfound respect for Kioshi. The rabbit and dog demon leapt off to track down the faint scent of Kioko.

000000000

Sesshomaru realized he and Kioko were now wondering around in a dimly lit cave. He could hear the drips of water hitting the stony ground and the echoes of his and Kioko's footsteps. Although the cave was shadowy, he could see perfectly fine in the dark. Kioko was also able to see, but her injuries were also becoming graver. She had a deep slash on her right shoulder and now a gash in her stomach.

"Nobody likes me. Everybody hates me. I guess I'll go eat…worms," Kioko panted. She was trying to keep her spirits up, but she realized that wasn't happening as well as she planned.

"Do you know the different levels of this place?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Um, sort of. I know that after the cave…we should come out to an ocean, but whatever is after that, I'm not sure. I've only heard Hitsuji mention a few traps she designed, but not all of them."

"Hitsuji?"

"She's the sheep warrior who carries the mirror we were sucked into. I can't believe I didn't recognize it from before, but it's been such a long time since I last saw it." Kioko explained, feeling slightly better now that Sesshomaru was making small talk with her, even though he was covering it up as "gathering information."

"First the horse and now the sheep. Did you anger every zodiac warrior with your annoying voice and songs? What's next? The dragon wanting to kill you because you smiled too widely at him?" Sesshomaru asked venomously. He could sense the dog-girl's spirits rise when he talked normally, so he had to keep her on edge and down with his iciness. He heard the dog-like whimper the girl made and turned around, seeing the tears fill her brilliant-blue eyes. She didn't say anything back to him. She just looked down and slumped her posture, showing nothing but submission to the demon lord. Sesshomaru turned back around and kept walking, hearing her light footsteps follow shortly after. Not soon after that, he almost heard nothing, but the soft clicking of the claws of her dog form alerted him that she was still behind him.

"Be still," Sesshomaru ordered as he stopped walking. Kioko did as she was told, but she could barely hold her head up. It was so hard to stand, too. Her ears perked when she heard something rubbing against the ground of the cave. It reminded her of slithering. When the sound got too close for comfort, Kioko immediately lifted her head and got into a stance, snarling and barking warningly. Sesshomaru tried to silence her, but Kioko was in survival mode and nothing was going to get too close to her. The slithering noise stopped and Kioko lowered her barks to low growls.

"There," Sesshomaru stated, seeing the moving shadow and waving his hand. The green light whip lashed at the shadow and a high-pitched screech sounded as the demon lord slashed at it repetitively. The light from his whip showed the creature, which had a slender body of a snake, but it had capable arms and legs that could dig and claw itself around in the cave. The head of the creature was that of a crocodile and it had the tongue of a snake as well as bat-like wings that were used to help it slither around on the ceilings and glide as well. Sesshomaru whipped it once more and that was the final strike, as the creature screeched angrily and leapt at Sesshomaru with lightning fast speed. Sesshomaru slashed his poisonous claws at it, but the snake-like body twisted out of the way. The demon lord felt a powerful blow strike him in the back and send him flying forward.

"Damn…you!" Sesshomaru growled as he landed on his feet and turned around to face the monster. The snake-a-dile with wings lunged forward with a roar of passionate anger and Sesshomaru leapt at it with his sword drawn. He slashed at the body, only for the creature to slither out of the way and completely dodge his attack again. The demon lord turned around and saw the head come at him to headbutt him, but a white blue leapt in front of it. Kioko let out a bark as she landed on the floor, panting tiredly. Sesshomaru felt no pity. He could only glare at her with irritation.

"This is my fight…stay out of my way," Sesshomaru growled angrily at Kioko. The dog's ears perked at the sound of his voice and her angry blue eyes glared back. The dog fought to get up on her paws and she finally reached that goal. Sesshomaru was already fighting against the monster once more, weaving in and out of the coils of the scaly beast. Kioko watched as the light from Sesshomaru's sword anger the demon even more. It suddenly gave her an idea. Kioko walked to the middle of the cavern and let a breath before summoning all of her energy to transform into her warrior form. The bright blue heavenly light expelled from her body as she changed forms. Sesshomaru immediately stopped and heard the creature let out a defeated hiss. Kioko stared down and saw the monster was still breathing, but barely. She grabbed her hammer and threw it up at the ceiling. The cave ceiling crumbled and let in continuous light, which burned the monster to a crisp. It turned to ash and disappeared. Kioko climbed out of the cave and let out a whine of pain, transforming back to her human form. Sesshomaru leapt out of the cave and next to the wounded dog-girl. He turned her over on her back with his foot and stared down heatedly.

"I told you not to interfere," he growled at her. Kioko stared back and gave him a delighted smile.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," she said back to him. Sesshomaru looked up and saw the sand meeting the calm waves that washed against the shore.

"I have an idea," Sesshomaru announced as his golden eyes focused on the blue water. Kioko stood up and was feeling a little better in the light.

"He's the man with the master plan! See the wheels turning, the butter churning,"

"If you continue to rhyme, I'll lop off your head," Sesshomaru snarled.

00000000000000

"So…what're we supposed to do now?" Inuyasha asked as he stared at the mirror.

"Don't touch it and definitely don't try to smash it. Hitsuji is here. I can feel her presence," Kioshi replied, his nose twitching as he sniffed the air. His ears were standing straight up, trying to catch any sounds.

"Screw that!" Inuyasha barked, sending a wind scar at the mirror. The mirror began glowing a pink color and Kioshi panicked as he leapt in the air to dodge the wind scar being flung back. Inuyasha also jumped out of the way and swung his blade at the now-visible sheep warrior in pink armor. The sheep grabbed the mirror with her mouth and galloped away hurriedly.

"After her!" Kioshi shouted, bounding after the sheep. Inuyasha nodded and began running at top speed, keeping up with Kioshi easily. Something awakened in the half-demon as he sped up and took one giant leap, landing in front of the sheep warrior with his sword at the ready. The wooly animal stopped and turned around, only to be met with Kioshi and his twin axes.

"Hey Kioshi, how do you like your lamb-chops? Well-done or medium-rare?" Inuyasha asked spitefully, a wicked grin pulled onto his face. The sheep warrior stood up on her hind legs, holding her mirror between her two front hoofs.

"If you don't wish to harm your brother, you would do well not to attack." The sheep warned calmly.

"Ha! Joke's on you, bitch! I hate my brother with a burning passion! Hold that mirror out for me!" Inuyasha laughed, charging up an attack.

"Wait! Kioko is in there, too! Don't do it!" Kioshi called out frantically. Inuyasha stopped his attack and flattened his ears against his head.

"Let's take the bitch down, then!" Inuyasha insisted, running after the warrior anyway. He just figured he would avoid the mirror. Kioshi nodded in return and hopped after the sheep.

"Even if you beat me, you cannot release your partner and brother from my trap! Not without the key!" Hitsuji warned as she dodged the two attackers. Kioshi knew of the mirror's effects and what he didn't know was how to release trapped beings from the contraption.

00000000000

"Did you hear that?" Kioko asked as her ears perked. She returned to her dog form because she and Sesshomaru found a small boat that could not fit both of them, so she decided to go smaller. Sesshomaru sat in the boat; his back leaned against the back as Kioko was sat at the bow.

"Hear what?" he growled. He was trying to rest and her voice interrupted him.

"Listen," Kioko whispered. Sesshomaru kept his eyes closed, but he listened as hard as he could with his ears.

"Two lost souls are spirited across the sea…keep going forward, for you are almost free," faint voices from afar sang. From what Sesshomaru could tell, it was a bunch of women singing, but oddly enough, he felt they were singing about them. His eyes snapped open when he heard Kioko bark happily and then began to howl in harmony with the singing.

"Be silent! I think they're telling how to get out of here," Sesshomaru snapped. Kioko looked back at him and growled.

"They want us to sing, stupid! Then they'll tell us what to do next!" she shouted back. Sesshomaru closed his mouth and sat back, letting the dog do as she pleased. Kioko looked forward and let out another, long howl before stopping and perking her ears.

"The dog, the dog! She sings with us! She understands us!" one voice squealed happily.

"She's a cute doggy, too! Come here white one! Your curse shall be undone!" another voice sang beautifully. Kioko yipped in response and leapt into the water excitedly.

"…" Sesshomaru just watched silently, curious to see what was going to happen. Surprisingly, Kioko was a wonderful swimmer and she seemed to be swimming directly towards the singing voices. Sesshomaru looked ahead and saw a large rock with three figures standing on it. The demon lord stood up and floated in the air, diving down and grabbing Kioko by her neckerchief and gliding to the rock. He dropped the dog and landed softly on his own feet.

"Aaww, look how cute she is!" A girl chirped as she approached. She was dressed in a full red kimono and every piece of skin was covered except her eyes. A veil covered the rest of her face. She bent down and stoked Kioko's head lovingly. Kioko let out a pleased murmur and snuggled the lady.

"I think the dog is his," another girl said. She was dressed in the same attire as the first, but she wore the color green instead.

"Look how cute he is," the third purred. Again, she was in the same attire, just dressed in blue.

"I assume you were the ones singing. Tell me, how do we get out of here?" Sesshomaru asked demandingly. The three women stood side-by-side and stared back at him.

"He is cute," the one in red began.

"But he is rude." The one in green said.

"Eh, this is true." The one in blue sighed. Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow, but kept silent.

"We have been stuck in here for hours. Do you know how to help us return to the world that is ours?" Kioko chirped, her tail wagging energetically. The girls looked down at Kioko and clapped their hands together simultaneously.

"The way out is here, you see? All you need is the key!" they sang in response. Sesshomaru almost threw himself into the ocean and just started breathing in the water. The one thing he finally stopped Kioko from doing was singing and rhyming! Now she was rhyming with three girls who also rhyme! Fuck!

"A key, you say? What key?" Sesshomaru asked, perking up when he realized that he had to focus on escaping and killing the warrior responsible for this. Again, the girls just stared back silently.

"I heard you speak of a key? To find it, where do we seek?" Kioko asked, never once tripping over her words.

"To find the key, you must have a friend on the outside! The Spear of Hope will cause this frustration to subside!" the girls sang beautifully. Kioko transformed into her human form and looked up at Sesshomaru.

"Basically, we're screwed. My friends don't know I'm gone and you don't have any friends." Kioko announced simply. Sesshomaru glared back heatedly.

00000000000

"Damn it! I knew we should've hacked his fucking head off!" Inuyasha barked as he dove out of the way. Oushi had regained consciousness and was now teamed up with Hitsuji. They were charging around blindly, trying to bash and skewer with their horns. Inuyasha and Kioshi could only dodge, duck, dip, dive and…dodge some more.

"Maybe we can get them to run into each other!" Inuyasha shouted.

"Yes! Let's shout our plans out so everyone can hear them and counter! Smart play, my friend!" Kioshi hollered with irritation.

"Shut up, you stupid rabbit! I don't see you coming up with anything better!" Inuyasha barked. Kioshi transformed into his small rabbit form to make it harder to bash him, but that made it easy to trample him.

"Kioshi, you must return with the rest of us! Why can you and Kioko be free, but the rest of us have to suffer?" Oushi bellowed as he tried to stomp on the rabbit.

"And where are Tora and Takara? Those two are no better than the rest of us!" Hitsuji asked as she almost caught Inuyasha with her ram-like horns.

"Kioko and I have a mission to follow, as does Tora! Takara was defeated by Kioko and his statue lays somewhere in the West!" Kioshi shouted, transforming into his human form and diving out of Oushi's path. Oushi let out an irritated roar as he changed his course and headed for Inuyasha. Oushi's sharp horns began glowing green, as they sliced clean through the air and charged up for an attack to blow the dog demon up from the inside out.

"May my horns spear through you and give you a quick death!" Oushi bellowed. Inuyasha turned around and smirked.

"Fuck you, you stupid cow!" Inuyasha barked, leaping in the air and charging his sword for an attack, but he stopped mid-air when he saw Oushi try to stop from spearing Hitsuji, who turned around and held her mirror up to absorb the attack.

00000000

"The light! The light calls for you!" the three girls cheered as the pointed in the air. Sesshomaru and Kioko stared up at the light and watched as it pulsed and opened a gateway. Sesshomaru instantly recognized the smell of his lands coming from the hole and leapt into the hole.

"Thank you!" Kioko chirped at the girls before leaping up as well. As soon as she entered the real world, her injuries disappeared and she was good as new.

"Kioko! You're back!" Kioshi called out happily as he ran up to Kioko, picking her up in his arms and squeezing the breath out of her. Kioko didn't mind. She loved the love.

"Ugh, you stupid, foolish creature!" Hitsuji shouted at Oushi as she dropped her broken mirror on the ground.

"I take it you are the one who cast me into that obnoxious world," a cold voice sounded. Hitsuji turned her head and glared at Sesshomaru.

"I am. My name is Hit…" But she was unable to finish her sentence because Sesshomaru had already ripped his claws through her chest and landed on the other side. Hitsuji disappeared in a pink light and was returned to her statue state.

"Uh…right." Kioshi sighed, a bit confused. Sesshomaru said nothing as he walked away, but not before slicing Oushi's chest open with his green whip of light, transforming the ox back into a statue. Sesshomaru's form disappeared and left Kioshi, Kioko and Inuyasha standing there, wondering why the hell it was such a piece of cake for him to do something like that?


	8. Chapter 8

The Art of Becoming a God

AN- This is focused mainly on Kioko, for she is that awesome.

Kioko walked along the road, her nose planted on the ground as she followed the different scents. Her big white paws left paw marks in the dirt as she prowled along, tail held up with alertness. Her ears picked up on the different happy chirps of nearby birds that soared overhead and she could feel the soft breeze washing through her snow-white coat.

"Hm…food?" Kioko grumbled, looking up when the faint scent of food entered her nostrils. Kioko trotted off the trail and into a different direction, picking up a steady pace. She stopped in her tracks when she found a hut in the forest. It had a wondrous smell coming from it. Just as she approached, she heard a scream for help. It wasn't too far away. Kioko ran in the direction of the frantic voice, noticing that it was a man calling for help. The white dog came upon a rushing river. Her blue eyes scanned the waters carefully. She saw a man splashing as he was carried down river, choking and screaming helplessly. Kioko began running along the shore, gaining a burst of speed before leaping into the river just ahead of the drowning man.

"Aaahhh! I can't swim! Someone help! Please, oh great gods, save me!" the man pleaded. Just then, Kioko grabbed his sleeve with her fangs and began swimming. Since the type of dog she was designed after was a bulky Labrador, or Newfoundland, her paws were webbed, which meant she was built for swimming. The man grabbed onto Kioko and the dog began swimming along with the current, gradually getting closer to the edge before finally crawling out while dragging the man with her.

"Oh…oh thank you," the man choked as he lay on his back, trying to catch his breath. Kioko sat beside him and looked down, head cocked curiously.

"Those eyes…they're filled with intelligence," the man said with surprise as he sat up, checking Kioko out carefully. He had never seen this type of dog before.

"I was fishing and fell in. I lost my dinner and my pole." The man sighed with defeat. Kioko let out a grumble of confusion. What kind of fisherman couldn't swim? That was a sad day.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're wondering why I can't swim. Well, the truth is, I just started fishing not too long ago. My wife is going to be so upset with me." He groaned. He slowly stood up and began walking towards the hut and Kioko decided to follow him and make sure he would stay away from the river for now.

"Tamaki! What is taking so long?" a woman asked as she walked out of the hut.

"I fell in the river and almost drowned. This dog saved my life." Tamaki explained, pointing at Kioko, who sat down obediently and panted quietly. The woman looked at her with nothing but the utmost disgust.

"Great! Another mouth to feed! You can't even feed yourself, Tamaki!"

"But, my dear wife,"

"I guess we can cook the damn dog,"

"Growr?" Kioko whined with slight worry. She was a bit concerned at this point. Tamaki bent down and wrapped his arms around Kioko protectively.

"This dog heard my cries for help and saved my life! We will not be eating it!" Tamaki shouted defiantly. Kioko licked his face and wagged her tail. She liked this guy. When Tamaki let go of her, Kioko stood and turned around, walking away slowly.

"Be careful in these parts, my four-legged friend. Demons run amok." Tamaki called to her. Kioko barked in reply before running away.

00000000

The next day, Kioko took off once more. She was going to go check on the nice man and make sure he wasn't drowning anywhere. She didn't really like his wife, though. The lady made her extremely uneasy. Kioko dodged in and out of trees and found the road she was traveling upon before going off track.

"Oh, hello there, my friend. Scaring monsters out of your territory?" a familiar voice asked. Kioko's tail wagged as she looked to the side, seeing Tamaki approaching her. He was a somewhat tall man with his hair pulled back in a topknot. His skin was tanned, showing he was of a commoner's status and his kimono was a simple grayish-black color.

"My wife sent me on a mission to buy some food in the city, seeing as my little fishing trip went awry. Care to join…or do you still have monsters to scare?" he asked humorously. Kioko yipped and walked along beside him. Tamaki soon began humming a little tune to himself as he nodded at passing people walking the opposite way. Kioko lifted her head when they approached a tall wall that apparently had a city within. So many different and interesting smells were pouring from the gates.

"State your mission for entering the city," a guard demanded sternly, staring at Tamaki icily. Tamaki held out a list of items and a small bag of money.

"I'm here for some food for my wife and myself," Tamaki responded. The guard nodded and looked down, seeing Kioko. Kioko began making noises, pretending to be a dog that could not talk, but was still trying her hardest to do so. The guard glared at her, angry that the dog dared try to mock him, but he let Tamaki and Kioko pass with not another word being said.

"Hm, they've never had guards stationed at the very entrance before. Something must be wrong." Tamaki said aloud as he looked around at the different shacks, shops and buildings. He looked down at Kioko with a wide smile and chuckled.

"Maybe all those monsters you scared out of your territory came into the city. Bad dog," he added. Kioko barked and wagged in tail in reply. Tamaki walked to a little cart that held cabbages and carrots.

"Good day, Tamaki. Shopping for the wife, I see," the merchant said with a smile.

"Haha, yeah, the fishing didn't go too well," Tamaki replied, grabbing the basket he carried on his back and placing a cabbage and a few carrots inside. He paid the merchant and walked down the road to search for the butcher and real fishermen. Kioko pranced along, looking side to side. She decided that she LOVED the city! Everyone was bustling and busy and things were so exciting and hard to predict. Tamaki bought a few slices of meat and a few fish, placing them in the basket and sighing.

"I think that's about it. I only have one silver piece left," Tamaki mumbled, cradling the coin in his hand gently. Kioko was staring across the road where a man had a small table set up. He had a customer who paid him a coin and the game started. The man put a red-colored pebble underneath a cup and set two other cups on the table and began swishing them around as quickly as possible. The client picked a cup and was wrong, losing the coin.

"Arf, arf, arf!" Kioko barked, running over to the gambling table and beckoning Tamaki to follow. The man walked over reluctantly and sighed.

"I don't know, doggy," Tamaki said.

"Come on, good sir! It's a simple game! A one in three chance of winning!" the gambling man insisted with a sly grin. Kioko sat in front of the table and reared up, resting her paws on the table.

"Uh, I guess the dog wants to play for me…here," Tamaki said, handing the man the coin.

"Watch carefully or you will lose, pup," the man chuckled, placing the red pebble on the table and covering it with a cup. He placed the other two down and began switching and swishing the cups around. Kioko watched carefully, her eyes glued to the one she knew was the right cup.

"Choose wisely," the man said. Kioko placed her paw on the cup to her right and moved back to let the man lift it. There was the little pebble!

"Wow, you won," Tamaki choked with surprise. The gambler was also surprised, but he paid Tamaki the fee. Tamaki went to walk away, but Kioko barked at him. She wasn't quite done yet. This man had plenty of money he had scammed from people.

"Alright…double or nothing," Tamaki said, placing the five silver pieces on the table. The man placed the pebble down and grinned as he did the switching around and stopped for Kioko to choose. This time Kioko nosed the middle cup and turned it over, revealing the pebble.

"What the hell?" the gambler growled, paying Tamaki with ten silver pieces reluctantly.

"Let's go, doggy. I feel that our luck is running scared," Tamaki insisted.

"Wait, good sir…I want to challenge the pup once more. If she wins, I'll give you a small pouch of ten gold pieces and you can also keep the ten silver pieces…what do you say?" the gambler asked slyly. Kioko was ready and her tail showed it. Tamaki looked around and saw that quite a crowd of people had gathered around to watch the white dog gamble.

"Alright, if you think you're up to it," Tamaki said, his voice quivering, placing the silver back down on the table. Kioko was ready. She watched the cups swish in and out and in and out and then, the man seemingly lifted one slightly.

"Now, choose," he stated. Kioko wasn't stupid. He knocked the pebble from the cup onto the ground. It was under the table. Good thing it was colored red or this would have been hard. Kioko merely looked under the table and licked the pebble into her mouth. She then gently spit it out onto the table, hearing the crowd of people gasp and chat with amazement before clapping. The gambler man stuttered over his words, but paid Tamaki what he owed.

"Wow! Were you sent to me by the gods by any chance?" Tamaki asked as he and Kioko walked away. Kioko kept her head down. No reason in answering that. Tamaki began walking out of the city and stopped when he realized Kioko was not at his side. He turned around and saw the dog staring at him, but not moving an inch. She didn't want to leave.

"I take it you want to stay?" Tamaki asked. Kioko yipped. Tamaki got down on his knees and Kioko walked up to him, letting him pet her lovingly.

"Thank you, my friend. I will never forget you." Tamaki whispered to her before standing up and walking out of the city and back to his home. Kioko trotted away, intent on exploring the city more. She found an older woman who was having trouble picking up a basket of food. Kioko grabbed the handle with her mouth and looked at the woman patiently.

"What an odd dog? Are you here to help an old woman?" she asked. Kioko's tail wagged in reply. The old woman petted Kioko and then began walking to her small home, which was on the outer corner of the city, but still inside the protective wall. Kioko placed the basket down and was given a small piece of meat as thanks. Kioko ran back to the main road of the city to find other things to do.

After nosing around for a few hours, Kioko was done exploring the city. She noticed the sun was now setting and everyone was packing up all items for the night. Kioko trotted to the gate and nodded at the guard from earlier before running down the road. She was worn out from walking around all day.

"Hm?" Kioko hummed when a digusting, yet familiar, scent entered her keen nose. She looked over in the direction and felt her heart skip a beat.

"Tamaki! I have to help him!" Kioko barked, running at full speed into the forest and following the familiar scent directly to the hut. Kioko stopped at the hut and saw that something had attacked it and ripped the roof off.

"Oh no!" Kioko gasped when she smelled the blood. She followed the trail and found a man lying by the river. Kioko ran up to him and turned him over with her massive head.

"My…my wife…is a demon," Tamaki groaned as he coughed up blood. Kioko whined worriedly as she placed her paw on his chest to examine his wounds. Tamaki opened his eyes and felt them immediately water. The white dog had come to save him again!

"Wh-what're you," Tamaki stuttered, but he quieted down when Kioko placed both paws on his torso and a heavenly blue light emitted from her paws to his body. He immediately felt better, but only physically. He saw the white dog let out a whimper of pain as crimson red stained her beautiful white coat.

"You…you weren't sent by the gods…you are a god!" Tamaki breathed with amazement. Kioko grinned, but she began limping away to find the stupid demon and kill it. Tamaki shouted for her to wait, but Kioko found strength and sprinted away, following the scent of the demon.

"Aaahh! The demon is back!" a man screamed. Kioko could hear the screams of people coming from the city walls. Kioko ran through the entrance gates and saw the monster flying around the city, long jaws snapping at frightened people. Kioko saw the guards hurling spears and firing arrows, but the demon slashed its claws and deflected and chopped them away. Kioko had enough. This demon was as good as dead. She stepped forward and let out a deafening howl to get the monster's attention.

"Oh? It's the cute little doggy that saved my husband! Hahaha! Too bad you couldn't save him this time!" the demon hissed as it narrowed its red eyes down at the white dog. Kioko heard the humans of the city whispering and crying, but she also heard others praying to her, the great white dog god of the Heavens.

"Please, oh great white dog, save us from this monster," a group of people murmured collectively as they placed their hands together.

"I'll kill you in front of them, kill their hopes and then kill them! I'll have so much pleasure that I wouldn't know what to do with myself!" the black demon chuckled as its black, bat-like wings flapped to keep it airborne.

"Bring it on! Game time!" Kioko laughed as the heavenly blue light emitted from her body as she transformed into her dog warrior form with blue armor. The citizens all gasped with amazement and wonder as the large dog warrior stood with her hammer in her right paw. She glared at the demon and made a vow to herself that she would not let this demon hurt and kill these people. This demon had to go…now!

"Die, you mutt!" the demon roared, lunging after Kioko. The dog warrior let out a battle howl and swung her hammer at the creature's ugly head. The hammer made a powerful contact and instantly killed it. The demon's body hit the ground, motionless and limp. Kioko stared down at it silently. She…just killed something. How could she have killed a living creature? As if to answer her question, a small child stepped forward and smiled at her.

"Thank you…doggy!" the little girl called out. Kioko nodded and turned around, transforming into her dog form and walking away, disappearing into the darkness.

00000000

"There you are, Kioko! I was starting to get worried again." Kioshi announced when he saw the dog approaching the group slowly.

"So, did you meet anyone new or did you visit Rin?" Kagome asked. Kioko lay down on the ground softly and rested her head on her front legs, letting out a huge sigh.

"Visited the city. Met lots of new people." Kioko answered. Kioshi frowned when he noticed the melancholy tone of the dog's voice. The rabbit-man sat next to the white dog and stroked her head and down her back softly. He figured she had just gone through something. He didn't know what, but it was something major.

"Whatever happened, you'll always be my friend, alright?" Kioshi whispered to her. Kioko lifted and turned her head, licking Kioshi on the cheek to let him know she understood. Kioshi could smell her blood on her still healing injuries. She must have gotten into a fight. She must have been backed into a corner and nowhere else to go except through her opponent.

000000000

Kagome looked back from the front of the group and saw Inuyasha staring up at the sky as he walked along. Shippo was on Sango's shoulder and Kirara walked beside the demon slayer. Miroku was in the middle of the group and Kioshi headed the back. On his back, he carried the human Kioko, who was asleep with fatigue, her arms draped over his shoulders and dangled in front of his chest.

"There's a city up ahead. We should probably stock up on some items." Miroku announced out loud.

"Sounds like a plan." Kagome replied as she sped up her pace.

The group entered the city and saw a huge bonfire in the center of the intersection of the city. Inuyasha could smell the demon's flesh burning and immediately tensed up.

"I guess they were attacked and they won," Sango pointed out, looking at the damaged buildings.

"As a demon, it still bothers me seeing another demon being burned, but if he deserved it, he deserved it." Shippo stated strongly.

"Here, weary travelers! Carry these charms and be forever protected from evil by the great god, Inugami!" a man chirped, handing each person a small parchment with a drawing of a mighty white dog on the front and blue encasing the drawing to protect it from weather and tearing. The entire group stopped in their tracks as they stared at the dog drawing…and then back at Kioko, who was still passed out on Kioshi's back. Kioshi also turned his head and looked at his slumbering friend.

"Here, you can carry hers…she's a tired one, isn't she?" the man chuckled. Kioko frowned when she heard his voice up close. She knew that voice! Kioko opened her blue eyes and looked over, seeing Tamaki, smiling at her and handing her a charm.

"Good afternoon, my lady! Here, a charm for you and it will protect you on your," Tamaki stopped as he stared into Kioko's blue eyes.

"Uh," Kioko choked.

"Those eyes…filled with intelligence…it's you! You're Inugami…but you're a girl! I'm so sorry, I thought you were, well, male!" Tamaki announced loudly.

"Kioko, you're gone for one day and you make yourself a god of a city?" Kioshi asked his dog friend skeptically. Kioko slid off his back and stepped away.

"No, no, I mean, it wasn't intentional, but it just…happened," Kioko gave up on explaining. It was such a long story.

"Please, she saved my life twice and saved the entire city from that dreaded monster that dared disguise itself as my wife. This is our way of thanking her for brightening our lives." Tamaki explained.

"Tamaki, don't tell anyone who I am, please? I'm no god." Kioko pleaded the man. Tamaki hugged her tightly and stroked her head softly.

"You are right. You are no god…you're a beautiful goddess, but if you want me to keep my mouth shut, then I will." Tamaki said to her, backing away and bowing before running away to pass out more Inugami/Kioko charms.

"You? A beautiful goddess? Oh please, don't make me laugh," Inuyasha spat spitefully as he grinned at Kioko mockingly. Kioko frowned and gave him a warning growl. She was not in the mood to be fucked with, especially about her looks. Kioko felt a harsh hand plant itself directly on her back.

"Now, now, Inuyasha, you mustn't anger the goddess, for she will smite you." Kioshi chuckled. If only people really knew Kioko.

"Oh…my…come look at this," Kagome called from further up ahead. The group raced to her and stopped in their tracks once more, staring up at the newly erected statue of Kioko's dog warrior form…armor, hammer and dopey expression and all.

"What? You're all just jealous because you don't have a cool statue erected in your honor…stop staring at me," Kioko grumbled, lowering her head and looking away, showing her submission.

AN- In the next chapter…you'll just have to wait until then, my friends.


	9. Chapter 9

Geezus!

"Haha, who's that guy?" Kioko asked Miroku when she saw Inuyasha fighting with a man dressed in brown fur and had black hair pulled back into a ponytail.

"That's Koga, the leader of the demon wolf tribe and he's also in love with Kagome," Miroku explained with a mocking smile. Kioko crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side.

"Whatever." She said.

"Inuyasha, sit!" Kagome shouted. Inuyasha took a face plant into the ground and Koga stood over him proudly, as if he was the one to take the half-demon out.

"Thanks Kagome, but I had it all under control," the wolf stated calmly, taking Kagome's hand in his.

"Hi Koga. What's your reason for being here?" Kagome asked, pulling her hand away from his. Koga crossed his arms and exhaled slightly.

"I was just going to ask you if you had any leads on Naraku's whereabouts. It's like the bastard's completely disappeared from this world." Koga explained with a growl. Kagome looked down and sighed with defeat.

"No, we haven't had much luck either," Kagome said.

"Plus, you can go find your own damn leads somewhere else!" Inuyasha barked insultingly. Koga got back into a fighting stance and glared at Inuyasha.

"And you can shut the hell up! Kagome doesn't even like you!" Koga shouted back angrily.

"Can you stop fighting for a minute? I was going to ask you something," Kagome exhaled.

"Sure Kagome. Anything for you." Koga chirped, his wide smile stretched back on his face.

"I was going to ask if you had seen Kikyo lately?" Kagome asked curiously.

"K-Kagome," Inuyasha stuttered, immediately looking down. Koga frowned as he thought for a moment.

"Oh yeah, the lady that looks like you. But, she's not near as pretty as you are, Kagome." Koga replied.

"Haha, thanks, but you didn't really answer my question," Kagome giggled uncomfortably.

"Nope. Haven't seen her." Koga bit back quickly, but kindly.

"Kagome, I followed her scent as you commanded, but it came to a dead end," Kioshi called as he landed next to the girl; now back in his human form. Koga immediately smelled the scent of rabbit and growled.

"And who the hell are you?" Koga asked threateningly. Kioshi glanced at him emotionlessly and cocked his head to the side.

"I am Kioshi and you are?" the rabbit-man asked in return.

"Your worst fucking nightmare if you don't back off my woman!" the wolf snarled. Kioshi rolled his eyes and turned back to Kagome.

"As I was saying, I couldn't find her anywhere," Kioshi said to Kagome, but Koga grabbed his shoulder and twisted him around, but Kioshi took a small jump and kicked Koga in the stomach, sending the wolf flying with his leg strength. Koga landed on the ground harshly and immediately sat up, growling with irritation.

"Ugh! I see you've got some cute little tricks there, bunny-boy, but let's see if you can compare with me!" Koga hollered, leaping up and taking off towards the rabbit like the wind. Koga swung his fist, but missed Kioshi miserably. The rabbit landed behind Koga and exhaled.

"If you're going to start a fight, at the very least, be able to back your mouth up, you cocky wolf." Kioshi grumbled with distaste.

"What did you say? Your ass is grass!" Koga snapped, leaping at Kioshi with the speed of the wind and swinging his leg at his head. Kioshi bent down as the wolf's leg swept overhead and the second leg also followed. Kioshi leapt in the air and landed on Koga's shoulders, knocking the man to the ground.

"Please, you should know better than to start a leaping match with a rabbit," Kioshi chirped teasingly as he walked away to stop the fight.

"You win!" Kioko giggled as she ran in circles around Kioshi.

"Why can't you fight like that when we face an enemy?" Sango asked Kioshi teasingly. Kioshi looked back at her innocently.

"We have enemies?" he asked her in return. The two chuckled at one another and decided to stir another conversation.

"We were just getting ready to have lunch, Koga. Want to join?" Kagome asked the wolf demon, who smiled at her and nodded.

"Thanks Kagome. I will." Koga said, signaling for his followers to come over and join as well.

0000000000

"Bye Kagome! I'll come marry you next time!" Koga shouted as he ran away, disappearing inside a small gust. Kagome shook her head and smiled. There was really nothing she could say to that.

"So, there really is a fighting style called the rabbit?" Sango asked Kioshi, who nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes. Would you like to learn some moves?" Kioshi asked in return. Sango giggled as she stood up, dressed in her armor and ready for some practice.

"Sure, let's do this," Sango stated strongly. Kioshi stood up and the two walked away from the rest of the group to avoid knocking anyone out.

"Alright, now a lot of people would think that this style involves a lot of jumping, but honestly, it's not that much. Now, stand with your feet shoulder-length apart, head held high and your fists hovering right in front of you," Kioshi instructed, showing Sango with his own body the stance.

"Oh boy, this is going to be good," Kioko giggled as she watched the antics.

"How's this?" Sango asked, taking the exact stance of Kioshi.

"That's perfect, now, bend your knees a little bit, but keep your torso straight and your head high," Kioshi added. Sango nodded and did just as he instructed.

"Now, the desire of the rabbit is to confuse and trip up his opponent, but not really doing any damage. If you've ever seen a rabbit running from a predator, he runs in zigzags and occasionally leaps over his opponent," Kioshi said as he threw light punches in the air to show Sango that certain distraction before quickly jumping and throwing a kick, stopping his leg right at her side so as not to hurt her.

"Alright, so throw some fake punches…and then…kick!" Sango repeated as Kioshi caught her leg from striking him in the side.

"Good. Now, another favorite of mine is evading obstacles and going in for a final, strong kick…watch," Kioshi said, taking off and dodging invisible opponents before leaping in the air and stabbing both feet out in a manner that would definitely knock someone onto their back. Sango followed and did the same, but she was unable to leap as high.

"I was thinking I could use my Hiraikotsu to give me more of a lift, you know?" Sango asked, showing the movements with her arms.

"That would definitely help since your body weight will put most of the force into the kick." Kioshi agreed, nodding his head. Sango looked back at Kioko and smiled.

"Do you know any moves of the dog, Kioko?" Sango asked. Kioko nodded and giggled.

"Yeah! Watch this!" Kioko cheered, standing up and walking over to Kagome before falling on her back next to the girl and smiling.

"Rub my belly," Kioko insisted cutely.

"Uh, no thanks," Kagome giggled.

"Yes, Kioko is mainly there to make people collapse from her cuteness," Kioshi announced with a smile.

00000000

"Miroku! Behind you!" Sango shouted to her friend. Miroku turned around and swung his staff, slicing the centipede-like demon in half. Another reared up and replaced it, hissing angrily. Sango ran up and threw her weapon into the ground and lifted herself up, pounding her two feet into its chest. The monster fell back and Miroku finished it off with a sacred sutra.

"Let's go help the others," Miroku panted, running off in the direction of the more explosive attacks. Sango ran after him and was ready for another fight.

Inuyasha stood on the back of a fallen demon while swinging his sword and striking another monster in the chest, hacking it in half effortlessly. Kagome was on the back of Kirara and fired an arrow at yet another creature, purifying it entirely.

"Hey Kagome, did you see where they went?" Inuyasha yelled out.

"Yeah! They went that way!" Kagome shouted back. Kioshi finally caught up and transformed into his rabbit warrior form.

"I'll go on ahead!" Kioshi stated strongly. Where the hell was Kioko whenever shit went down?

"Kirara, let's go!" Sango hollered, leaping on the back of her trusted cat demon. Kirara roared in reply and flew away with Kagome and Sango clutching to her thick fur. Inuyasha finished off the last demon and saw Miroku running past him.

"Hurry up or you'll miss all the fun!" Miroku called back to the half-demon.

"Like Hell I will!" Inuyasha shouted back with a smirk, taking a leap and catching up with Miroku easily.

Kioko was running towards the scents of her comrades as fast as her paws would take her. She could also smell Naraku's rotten scent as well as another, more familiar scent. It was the scent of the horse warrior, Takara. The dog knew something bad was going to come out of those two being in the same place. She approached the castle and leapt into the courtyard, seeing Naraku standing there, as if waiting.

"I'm quite surprised you made it here, Kioko," Naraku purred.

"Yeah…me too," Kioko panted truthfully.

"Hmph, agreeing with the enemy? You are pathetic." Sesshomaru said to her, approaching from behind. Kioko rolled her eyes.

"Hey, yo, fuck you! I totally got here before you! Shove it! He's mine!" Kioko barked back at the demon lord. She was so tired of him calling her names when she never did anything to deserve his disrespect.

"Haha, my, my, you've gotten feisty since we've last met," another voice chuckled as a man approached from behind Naraku. It was Takara in his human form and in his arms he held small statues.

"Oh no," Kioko whispered under her breath. He held with him the statues of the remaining, and previously defeated, Zodiac warriors.

"Oh yes," Takara chuckled.

"You see, I saw how handy you and the rabbit are to my enemies, so why shouldn't I have some handy helpers around? It's only fair," Naraku explained, holding his hand out as Takara placed a statue in his hand. Kioko recognized it as the dragon warrior.

"Damn it!" Kioko barked, running after Naraku at full speed. He smirked at her and was ready to request for the dragon's help, but he heard a roar and a shout of pain come from behind him and stopped. He turned and saw a white tiger mauling Takara and knocking the statues from the horse-man's arms. Naraku shouted when Kioko latched onto his arm and ripped it away, stealing the dragon statue and running away.

"You mutt!" Naraku shouted, but a white blur hacked him in half and he watched as Sesshomaru grabbed two statues with his only hand and Tora the tiger ripped one off as well.

"So…you think you've won?" Naraku asked angrily. He could sense Inuyasha and the rest of the group approaching. He was still in a weakened state. There was no way he could take them all on. He decided it was now or never to live to fight another day. Naraku disappeared and took Takara and the remaining statues with him.

"Crap…alright, which ones did we snatch?" Kioko asked after setting the dragon down.

"Boar, pig, whatever," Tora announced. Sesshomaru looked in his hand and kept his facial expressions to a minimum.

"The ox and rooster," the demon lord said.

"And I obviously have the dragon. So they have the sheep, monkey, rat, snake and then Takara." Kioko sighed.

"You let him get away! Stupid!" Inuyasha barked angrily as he approached them, the rest of the group following. Kioshi landed and ran up to Kioko.

"Wh-what are these doing here?" Kioshi asked, gently picking up the dragon statue between his paws.

"Naraku has Takara helping him and Takara got the rest of the statues from the museum. Tora, Sesshomaru and I stole as many was we could, but Sesshomaru only has one arm," Kioko explained, purposely taking that stab at the demon lord.

"I may only have one arm, but I still grabbed more than you," he growled in return.

"I don't have any thumbs! Shut up!" Kioko barked loudly at him.

"So Naraku has the rest of the Zodiac warriors at his command?" Kagome whined with defeat.

"Yeah, but we got the cool ones!" Kioko yipped in return.

"I still grabbed more than you," Sesshomaru added in.

"I grabbed the DRAGON! What did you get? A cow and a chicken! My dragon would eat those for breakfast! Shut up!" Kioko bit back.

"She does have a point," Miroku announced, only to zip his mouth shut and shiver a bit when Sesshomaru glared at him.

"Did we grab any nice ones?" Sango asked curiously, knowing that the only nice ones she had heard about so far were Kioshi and Kioko and sometimes Tora.

"The dragon is a wise and calm soul who would never fight unless it is absolutely necessary. We all know Oushi the ox. The boar is stubborn, but he means well. The rooster is actually quite comical." Kioshi explained. He noticed that Sesshomaru had dropped the ox and rooster statues and had long disappeared.

"Where're you going, Tora?" Kioko asked, running up to the tiger, who was about to leap away as well. The tiger turned his massive head and looked at Kioko with his deep orange eyes.

"I am not one to travel in a group. If you need me, I will be around." Tora said before leaping away, his orange neckerchief waving with his movements.

"Damn it! I have the power to destroy him now, but all he does is run and hide!" Inuyasha shouted, punching a hole in the wall.

"It's because he's really weakened right now. I could tell. He looked really sick." Kioko announced as she transformed into her human form and helped Kioshi pick up the statues.

"You don't say? Hm, that is a very interesting observation," Miroku said with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Do you think something is corrupting his power? Perhaps those jewel shards that Kikyo gave to him were imbued with her purification powers and they're literally making him sick." Sango pointed out.

"That sounds like something she would do, but how could she keep the purification inside them when Naraku corrupts the light just by touching it?" Kagome asked.

"I'm not saying this to insult you, but Kikyo's powers are far more advanced than yours. I'm sure there are things she can do that you can't." Miroku said.

"Hey Miroku, shut up! Kagome is strong enough!" Inuyasha hollered defensively.

"I never said she wasn't, I was just saying that there are things Kikyo can do that none of us can do. Her powers surpass most in these lands." Miroku argued calmly.

"It's fine, I understand what you mean, Miroku." Kagome chirped as she climbed on the back of Kirara with Sango. It was time to rest and make another plan.

0000000

It was the night of the new moon and Inuyasha was now stuck in human form. It was an interesting sight for Kioshi and Kioko. The rabbit was less vocal about it than his dog friend, though. Kioko was basically drooling on Inuyasha while asking her questions. Kioshi turned his head when he thought he heard something. He looked at Kagome, who met his gaze, knowing he was going to leave.

"I'll be back momentarily. I'm just going to check it out." Kioshi said to her.

"Be careful." Kagome sighed. Kioshi nodded and transformed into his rabbit form before hopping out of the hut and into the dense forest. His snow-white coat almost created light inside the dark forest, which almost concerned him about being a target. But strangely enough, he didn't sense anything sinister around. It was calm. The rabbit found a woman sitting against a tree and saw the souls being absorbed into her body.

"Excuse me…but you are Kikyo, are you not?" the rabbit asked, forgetting to transform into a more acceptable form. The woman's brown eyes fixated on him.

"I am. And who might you be? You're no rabbit, nor are you a demon," the woman responded, not moving an inch.

"I am Kioshi. I am a Zodiac warrior and I obviously am the rabbit," Kioshi responded kindly, sitting on his hind legs and letting his ears lop down. Kikyo smirked as she leaned forward a bit to get a better view of the furry critter.

"Zodiac warrior, you say? The ones who stopped the Great War from long ago?"

"Yes."

"I see. Did Inuyasha send you because he was too cowardly to come himself?" Kikyo quizzed, a bitterness now entering her previously blank tone. Kioshi's nose twitched cutely as he shook his head in the negative.

"No, my lady. I came on my own will."

"And what do you want with me?"

"Nothing. I was just investigating these parts before going to sleep."

"Really now? Are you sure you're not trying to find another fair maiden to stab in the back?" Kikyo's words caused Kioshi to flinch. The white rabbit let out a breath.

"I was not the one who betrayed her back then. I couldn't have," Kioshi insisted, a quiver in his voice.

"You were found with her body, covered in her blood, were you not?" Kikyo asked.

"I did not kill her! I tried to save her, to stop the bleeding, but, but I couldn't stop it!" Kioshi shouted back.

"Who did it then? If not you, who?"

"She promised me she would free me and the other warriors from our duty. The night she was murdered was the very night she was going to perform the ceremony to release us. I wish I knew who did kill her…because I would kill them myself. Slowly, painfully," Kioshi said coldly. He stopped talking when Kikyo stroked his furry head softly.

"You loved her, didn't you?" Kikyo asked him. Kioshi turned his head and exhaled.

"It wasn't my place to, but yes. Now, if you're done accusing me, I shall be going," Kioshi said as he began to hop away.

"I was told the story of the great warriors when I was a small child. The village elder knew the story well, for she herself was a child when she witnessed your powers. She often told me that the rabbit warrior was her favorite, for not only was he cute and small, but very valiant and wholesome," Kikyo called out. Kioshi returned to Kikyo's view, but he was now in his human form, looking down at Kikyo silently.

"You confuse me." Kioshi said to her.

"Heh, do I? I have a piece of information that may serve as to some use or closure for losing the one you loved. The village elder knew quite a bit about the corruption of these lands. She was the daughter of one of the close maids of the woman. She caught a glimpse of the killer fleeing just as you arrived to save your beloved,"

"What do I have to do for you to tell me?" Kioshi asked abruptly.

"She saw the familiar white fur that most of the Zodiac warriors have…maybe it was that dog you're so close with?"

"You don't know Kioko. She would never," Kioshi replied strongly.

"Then why was she not guarding like she was supposed to?" Kikyo asked back. Kioshi kept his mouth closed. This woman knew too much. Kioko was supposed to be guarding, yes, but she ran off just like she did every other time. Kioko knew to go away when Kioshi was approaching because Kioshi wanted alone time with the master. Someone on the inside had to know that. Kioshi turned around and began walking away.

"Thank you for the tip," he said before disappearing.

Kioshi returned to the hut and sat down. Everyone was asleep already…or so he thought. Kioko sat up and looked over at him. It startled the rabbit-man for a moment. Usually she was gone and didn't return until the morning. The dog-girl moved closer to Kioshi and tried to lean against him, but Kioshi gently pushed her away, his eyes blazing into hers.

"Did I do something wrong?" Kioko asked him worriedly. Kioshi let go of her and exhaled before turning his back to her, lying down and saying nothing.

000000000000

Kioshi woke up the next morning and turned over, seeing Kioko curled up, her back turned to him.

"Kioko," Kioshi whispered, sitting up and crawling over to the girl. He stepped over her and sat down in front of her, only to watch as she kept her eyes closed, an angry frown visible on her face she turned on her other side, her back facing him once more.

"Oh, Kioko, don't be like that, please," Kioshi begged softly, shaking her with his hand gently.

"Go away." Kioko ordered.

"So you don't want to talk to me?"

"No,"

"Come on, talk to me. I'm sorry about last night, alright?"

"No!" Kioko growled. Kioshi let out a long sigh and transformed into his rabbit form, climbing over her and sitting in front of her face.

"But…the bunny is really sorry," Kioshi insisted. Kioko opened one eye and stared back.

"So?" Kioko asked harshly.

"Bunny is sorry. I really am." Kioshi quivered. Kioko opened both eyes and scooped him closer to herself with her arm. Kioko didn't say anything else after that and Kioshi decided to keep quiet as well.


	10. Chapter 10

And So It Begins…

Sesshomaru stood in the middle of the field, staring up at the night sky. The moon was crescent this night. The breeze was light and refreshing. Sesshomaru knew this night was too calm. Something was coming. He could feel it bearing down on him. A gust of wind whipped through the field and Sesshomaru's golden eyes narrowed.

"You took your time coming here and now you're hiding," Sesshomaru said aloud, not taking his gaze from the sky. He heard a mocking little snicker as something brushed past him and a form landed a small distance in front of him. The creature stood up straight and Sesshomaru finally looked at it directly. It had a similar form of a human, but its hands were a little too big and its feet looked like its hands. The head was also a little deformed and it had a tail. It was definitely not a human.

"The monkey warrior, I presume?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Heeheehee! Aaaahhhh! My, my, Naraku was right…you ARE smart! Of course, I have been confused with the snake warrior multiple times," the monkey snickered sarcastically. Sesshomaru was none too amused.

"Allow me to properly introduce myself…I am Manabu, the monkey warrior, and I have been summoned and ordered to kill you and bring your head back to Naraku." The white monkey stated while bowing at the hip. Sesshomaru said nothing and made no sudden movements.

"…" Sesshomaru just glared back and this irritated Manabu slightly. He loved irritating his opponents, but Sesshomaru was giving him no reactions whatsoever. The demon lord grabbed his sword and drew it out, still staring the monkey down.

"If you can even lay a hand on me," Sesshomaru finally said before lunging at Manabu. The monkey squawked as he leapt out of the way, barely dodging the sharp edge of the demon lord's sword. Manabu landed behind Sesshomaru and growled as he readied himself for a tough fight. Naraku forgot to mention that this certain demon was actually fast.

"Haaah! Haah! This is going to be fun! Let's do this!" Manabu laughed as he ran after Sesshomaru. The demon lord whipped around and thrust his sword forward, but Manabu leapt onto the sword's blade steadily.

"You hold this blade effortlessly! You just may be better than Kioshi!" Manabu stated quickly. Sesshomaru swung his blade and sent the monkey flying.

"My swordsmanship is far more advanced than that rabbit's!" Sesshomaru growled back as he decided to go full on the offensive, lashing at Manabu fluidly with his demonic blade. Manabu let out screams and squawks every time the blade came near to cutting him, but it never landed a single hit. Sesshomaru was starting to get irritated with this creature's screeching. He had to end it…now!

"Monkey see, monkey do! Haaaaah! Monkey just made a fool out of you!" Manabu chanted as he dodged Sesshomaru's attacks beautifully. Now Sesshomaru was pissed. He summoned the dark aura of his sword and used the aura to send a shockwave out and blast the monkey to pieces.

"Hm," Sesshomaru watched as Manabu was jolted back by the sword's aura. Crimson slashes appeared on the monkey's snow-white coat and Manabu seemed to be near defeat.

"You…are…quite…vicious, aren't you?" Manabu asked in between breaths, still smiling his toothy grin from before. Sesshomaru aimed the tip of his sword at Manabu.

"And now to end this," Sesshomaru stated, summoning the power and planning on eliminating this stupid creature from existence. Manabu reached inside his gray-colored armor and pulled out an orb.

"I may not be able to kill you now, but I can damn sure kill a child!" Manabu shouted as the orb began glowing and with a bright light, Sesshomaru had to close his sensitive eyes to keep from being blinded. It happened so fast and Sesshomaru wondered what happened when he opened his eyes. He was still in the field and Manabu was still there, but he was taller than before. Sesshomaru looked down and realized he no longer had either of his swords and his left arm was back.

"Wh-what happened?" Sesshomaru asked, flinching slightly when he heard his voice. He was reverted back to his childhood!

"Heeheehee! Haaaah! Aaaww, look at the cute little boy," Manabu laughed spitefully as he began walking towards the demon child. Sesshomaru, being as proud as he always had been, stood his ground and glared at the approaching monkey warrior. Manabu reached out to grab Sesshomaru's neck and strangle him, but Sesshomaru slashed his poison claws and knocked the monkey's arm away. Sesshomaru thrust his other arm forward and sprayed the poisonous attack in Manabu's face. The monkey let out a horrid screech of pain and Sesshomaru leapt up and kicked him in the face before running away, his instincts telling him to get going.

00000000000

Kioko was sitting by the river, having just leapt in and washed dirt from her fur. She was now trying to dry off in the sun.

"K-Kioko," a voice called out. The dog turned her head and saw a small child collapse. She ran up to him and as she got closer and closer, she became more and more confused. He had long white hair and white robes and smelled a hell of a lot like Sesshomaru. Kioko turned him over on his back and examined his face. Crescent moon, two stripes, eyeliner, pissed-off expression…it WAS him!

"But how?" Kioko whispered. She leaned down and licked the boy's face a few times, waking him and getting the best reaction ever…fear.

"Aaahh! Don't touch me!" the chibi-lord shouted angrily. Kioko's tail was wagging so hard; her entire body was moving with it.

"Soooooooo cute! What happened?" Kioko yipped happily. Sesshomaru frowned and looked down.

"I was fighting the monkey warrior, Manabu and he…he did this to me!" Sesshomaru growled, pulling at his small robes. Kioko couldn't help but keep wagging her tail. She couldn't deny the cuteness and when he was angry, it was that much cuter. Sesshomaru tried to glare, but he noticed it didn't work, so he settled with pout, which also didn't work.

"Hungry? I am." Kioko stated simply. Sesshomaru nodded and followed the dog back into the forest. He wasn't going to dare show himself to Rin and Jaken. Then he thought of how Inuyasha's reaction to his current form would be and stopped walking.

"I can find my own food," Sesshomaru stated. Kioko stopped walking and looked back at him.

"But…you'll get eaten. You're so tiny." Kioko replied. Sesshomaru's fists clenched and his cheeks turned a rosy red.

"I…am…a powerful demon! I will not be eaten! I am not that tiny!" Sesshomaru shouted at the dog, who just wagged her tail in response.

"Have it your way," Kioko said uncaringly, walking away and leaving the child alone. She stopped when she heard footsteps and saw Sesshomaru running up to her.

"Fine, I'll go with you," Sesshomaru growled with distaste. Kioko licked him in the face continuously, knowing she would never have another chance to do it again.

"Do NOT touch me!" Sesshomaru ordered. Kioko barked happily and transformed into her human form. Sesshomaru tried to run, but he gasped when the girl scooped him up in her arms and hugged him with force, almost crushing the poor boy's ribs.

"St…stop…c-can't bre…breathe!" Sesshomaru gasped as his arms and legs flailed helplessly.

"Don't worry! I'll feed you and take care of you and love you! Maybe when you grow back up, you won't be such a prick this time around!" Kioko giggled as she jumped away with Sesshomaru grasped protectively in her arms.

000000000

"What…in the hell…is this?" Inuyasha asked with disgust and shock.

"Eeeeewwww! Kioko! Don't tell me it's yours!" a man screamed from the background. He was the rooster warrior, Ondari. He was dressed in white robes and had red armor. His white hair was formed into a faux-hawk with red coloring on top of his head. He didn't try to hide his element either. Ondari was definitely a fiery son of a bitch.

"Shut up! It's not mine…it's Sesshomaru," Kioko explained.

"It's Sesshomaru's kid? What?" Inuyasha asked.

"No, stupid! It is Sesshomaru! Manabu turned him into a kid…a cute one," Kioko chirped. Sesshomaru couldn't even look up from the ground. He wanted to just disappear.

"Manabu was summoned? Oh no," Kioshi groaned. Out of all of the warriors, Manabu was his least favorite. In fact, he hated the monkey with a passion.

"Has anyone ever tried monkey brains? It tastes pretty damn good, despite the name, of course." Ondari chirped with a smirk. Miroku chuckled a bit as he shook his head. He was glad Ondari was on their side. The rooster was harsh.

"Kioko, put me down. I can walk fine on my own." Sesshomaru growled. Kioko placed him down and watched as he looked around at each person and then decided to stay with Kioko, because, well…he didn't like anyone there, but he knew her better.

"He's hungry. Get him some food." Kioko announced. Kagome giggled quietly as she reached in her bag and handed Sesshomaru a bag of chips. Sesshomaru crossed his arms and turned his head, nose in the air and eyes closed.

"I don't eat human food," he stated proudly.

"Whoa, little man…food is food. Just eat it, you little shit!" Ondari stated as he walked up. Sesshomaru looked up at the rooster and glared.

"Be silent, chicken." Sesshomaru ordered.

"Here, let me get down to your level so you don't break that pretty little neck of yours," Ondari said, transforming down to his rooster form. He then let out a battle squawk and began pecking Sesshomaru on the head with his sharp beak. Sesshomaru swatted back at him, but Ondari was a warrior and dodged easily, still sneaking in painful pecks on the child's head.

"Haha, yum," Kioko chirped as she munched on the chips Sesshomaru denied while watching Sesshomaru get pecked on the head by a rooster. It was a great day.

"I'll devour you, instead!" Sesshomaru shouted at Ondari.

"Say "cock-a-doodle-doo," and I'll stop!" Ondari said back, still attacking the poor chibi-lord.

00000000

Sesshomaru sat by the fire that night, his legs crossed and his arms folded inside his sleeves. He couldn't believe this was happening. He had to rely on humans and lesser demons for protection. He looked over when he heard Kioko yawn as she sat up, rubbing her tired eyes.

"Oh, you're still awake?" Kioko asked him.

"I refuse to go to sleep." Sesshomaru answered sternly. Kioko lay back down and closed her eyes, snuggling closer to Kioshi. If Sesshomaru didn't want to sleep, she wasn't going to force him. The young pup stared at Kioko and Kioshi for a moment and then looked over at Ondari, who was leaned against a tree, sound asleep. Ondari was the only warrior Kioshi said to summon for now. Sesshomaru then rested his eyes upon his younger brother, who was now his big brother.

"How bothersome," Sesshomaru grumbled.

"Shut up, you little twerp," Inuyasha growled, his golden eyes now opened and his ears alert. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and glared back.

"Even reverted to the state I'm in now, I'm still more powerful than you." Sesshomaru said in return.

"Yeah, well, I'm the one who has mastered the old man's sword and made it my own."

"Heh, Father gave you that sword because he knew his demon blood would be too much for you to handle. That is the only reason he wanted you to have it."

"Hey, ladies, let's argue tomorrow, shall we?" Ondari called out with irritation. Both brothers glared at him, but they did stay silent.

00000000

"How is it that I have the little brat right in my grasp and he escapes? Haaaah! He's more of a problem than Naraku informed me of." Manabu growled as he swung through the trees in his monkey form. Personally, he disliked the dark man with crimson red eyes. Manabu was more of an independent mind and he didn't mind taking orders, as long as his master is a respectful person.

"Hmph! I'll find the little dog brat and take him back to Naraku alive! Maybe Naraku will realize how useful I really am!" Manabu said, picking up the dog demon's scent.

Ondari sat at the very top of a tree, a lit pipe in his mouth. The sun was just about to peek over the horizon. The man let out a contented sigh as he exhaled smoke from his mouth. The rooster-man saw the light finally seep out over the horizon and chuckled to himself, transforming into his rooster warrior form. The rooster was about seven feet tall from top of the head to his feet. His body was white with the red body armor on. His wings were large enough to allow him to fly and had red tipped on the ends of the feathers. His feathery tail was all red and was extremely long. He reached up with a clawed foot and grabbed the pipe from his mouth before opening his beak and letting out a loud squawk.

"Goooooooood morning, comrades!" Ondari sang loudly as he flew down to the ground, watching as everyone slowly opened his or her eyes and sat up, shooting the rooster harsh glares. Ondari stuck the pipe back into his beak and clucked a small tune as he walked away.

"Ondari, I'm seriously about to mess you up," Inuyasha growled heatedly as he finally stood up. The rooster turned his head and snorted smoke from his nostrils, saying nothing in return.

"Come on, let's find something to eat," Kioko said to Sesshomaru, who was rubbing his eyes tiredly with his small hands. Kioko picked the chibi-lord up and walked away to find something to munch on. Kioshi watched Kioko walk away with the child in her arms and was immediately confused. He decided to follow her, but just as he was ready to enter the trees, Ondari was in his way, leaning against a tree and still smoking his pipe.

"Good morning, Kioshi." Ondari chirped. Kioshi stared at him for a moment and cleared his throat, looking down.

"Same to you, Ondari. I hate to end this conversation abruptly, but I must be going," Kioshi announced quickly. He began walking away, only to have Ondari cut his path off once more.

"You know, Kioko doesn't need a babysitter." Ondari stated with a grin, taking one last puff from his pipe and exhaling the smoke.

"I know she doesn't need a babysitter, but I will not allow her to be out on her own, especially with all of the dangers out here. Sesshomaru is with her, but he is a mere child now." Kioshi explained.

"How about I go with her instead?" Ondari asked harmlessly, but his red eyes said otherwise. Kioshi glared at him.

"I think not. I will go. You can stay here and play your little games." Kioshi growled as he leapt over Ondari and ran after Kioko.

Sesshomaru watched as Kioko removed her boots from her feet and began taking off her armor from her body and her arm guards. She struggled a bit, but she finally succeeded and gently placed her armor and chained war hammer on the ground. She rolled her pants legs up to her thighs and did the same with her sleeves on her robe.

"What're you doing?" Sesshomaru asked her skeptically.

"I'm not too good at catching fish, so I'm making sure that anything that will restrict my movements are off," Kioko explained as she slowly waded into the river until the water hit her knees. Sesshomaru crossed his arms inside his sleeves and watched with a slight pout. Kioko let her hands rest in the water and she quickly grasped a fish, holding it out of the water and smiling widely.

"Yay! I finally caught one! Look!" Kioko celebrated. Sesshomaru said nothing. Kioko tossed him the fish and Sesshomaru, instead of catching it, slashed it with his claws and killed it. He picked the fish up and bit into it hungrily. Kioko walked out of the water and shook the liquid from her limbs, deciding to dry off a bit before putting her armor back on.

"Kioko, is there any way for me to be returned to my adult self?" Sesshomaru asked after swallowing a bit of fish.

"I'm not sure. I'll ask Kioshi and Ondari. I'm sure they'll know." Kioko replied.

"Ask me what?" Kioshi asked, emerging from the trees and approaching the two dogs.

"Is there any way he can be changed back to his adult self?" Kioko asked curiously. Kioshi nodded as he crossed his arms, sighing heavily.

"Yes, there is, but Manabu is not one to take lightly and now since he has changed you into a child, there is almost no chance he will ever pull his orb out from his armor…not to mention he's slick as snot. Even I have troubles keeping up with him." Kioshi explained.

"Hmph. You make it sound like you're so fast," Sesshomaru grumbled, finishing his breakfast and dropping the remains on the ground. Kioshi cocked an eyebrow as he watched the child walk to the water and begin washing his hands and face off.

"And tell me, little pup, did you make any physical contact with Manabu?" Kioshi asked suspiciously. Sesshomaru frowned as he tried to remember. Physical contact? No. He had to rely on the aura of his sword, Tokijin's, aura to blast Manabu…which resulted in his current state.

"I did succeed in injuring him and I slashed his hand with my claws," Sesshomaru answered, walking over to Kioko and using her sleeves to dry his face and hands. Kioko rolled her eyes but didn't react to this disrespect in any other manner.

"Impressive, but unless you can succeed in grabbing him, beating the shit out of him and snatching the orb from him, you can count on reliving your childhood. Who knows? Maybe you'll grow up and be less of a prick." Kioshi said back. Sesshomaru's eyes turned red with anger, but he stopped his demonic energy from exploding when he heard a giggle.

"That's exactly what I said to him, Kioshi." Kioko chirped.

"Yeah, even the naïve, innocent, accepting and benevolent Kioko finds your presence disgusting…as did I, before I turned you into a child," a voice cackled as a white monkey leapt from the trees. It was engulfed in a faded gray light and turned into the monkey warrior, Manabu.

"You filthy vermin! Wait until I get my hands on you!" Sesshomaru snarled as he ran at the monkey, almost catching Manabu, but the primate was much too quick. Kioshi leapt after the monkey, throwing fist after kick, barely missing Manabu as well.

"Hahaaaaaah! You can't catch me!" Manabu teased, doing a cartwheel over Kioshi while using the rabbit's head as his balance point. Kioshi threw another fist and missed miserably.

"My turn!" Kioko barked, transforming into her quicker, more agile dog form.

"Oooh, oooh, oooh, aaahhh! Everyone knows that you couldn't possibly hope to catch me, silly little doggy!" Manabu screeched happily, dodging a strong pounce from Kioko and a breath-stopping, head-knocking kick from Kioshi. Sesshomaru swung his arm and lashed his green whip out at Manabu, but only managed to chop a single hair from the monkey's fur on the very end of his tail.

"Almost!" Manabu called out while clapping his hands and dancing side to side.

"Manabu, what is your reasoning for coming here now of all times?" Kioshi asked while panting and trying to catch his breath. Manabu stopped dancing and smiled widely, his sharp canines bearing mockingly.

"He wants an ass kicking!" someone shouted before a fireball landed right where Manabu was standing a millisecond before.

"If it isn't my cock-happy friend, Ondari!" Manabu announced as Ondari walked onto the scene, looking slightly angry.

"Oh, I'll show you cock-happy, because I am going to FUCK you up!" Ondari shouted as he leapt at the monkey, firing flames left and right.

"He is so fucking irritating! Bah!" Kioko barked loudly, hoping that Ondari could shut Manabu up for a bit.

"I knew I couldn't rely on a monkey to do a man's job," another voice chuckled and this voice was deep and dark.

"Naraku!" Sesshomaru snarled.

"You bastard! You're mine!" Inuyasha hollered as he flew from the trees and began ruthlessly attacking Naraku. Sesshomaru wanted to rip his own hair out! Naraku was his to kill!

"Hah! You just let them hack you to pieces! You couldn't dodge your way out of a paper bag!" Manabu yelled at Naraku, realizing that Ondari was tired out already.

"Why would I be in a paper bag to begin with? Unlike you, I don't put myself into a losing situation." Naraku answered calmly after blocking an attack from Inuyasha's blade.

"Then why the hell did you show up? Because your ass is dead today, Naraku!" Inuyasha said with a grin as he charged his blade up for a destructive attack. Kioko saw that Manabu was no longer paying much attention and Kioshi was already after him.

"Huh? Aaaahh! Aaaahh!" Manabu screamed when Kioshi came out of nowhere and grabbed his neck, squeezing it powerfully. Kioshi's other hand reached inside his armor and grabbed the orb, but as Manabu tried to snatch it back, he knocked it out of Kioshi's hand.

"Baaaaaaaaaall is mine!" Kioko yipped as she leapt in the air and caught the orb athletically.

"Throw it!" Sesshomaru shouted. Kioko threw the ball in the air, did a front flip and kicked the orb with her back leg, sending it flying at Sesshomaru, who caught it with both hands. A green light burst from the orb and Sesshomaru could feel his power returning.

"You're mine!" Naraku bellowed victoriously, his tentacles lashing out at Sesshomaru, who was completely vulnerable. It was like slow motion. Inuyasha leapt at Naraku, ready to lop off his head. Kioshi had lost Manabu, who tried to escape, but was stopped by Ondari. Sesshomaru's eyes widened when the tentacles came increasingly close, but a white blur took the blow instead. Naraku thought he had grabbed the demon lord and began the absorbing process.

"No! Kioko!" Kioshi screamed frantically when he heard the dog's howl of pain. The dark light was burning and sapping Kioko of all she had.

"You filthy mutt! You have interfered for the LAST time!" Naraku hollered with irritation when he realized that Sesshomaru was not in his grasp. Instead the demon lord dropped the orb and stood up straight, now back to his adult, one-armed form. Sesshomaru cracked his knuckles and lunged at the tentacles, slicing them clean in half with one wave of his hand. Kioko's limp body hit the ground and made no movement whatsoever.

"Not again…Kioko," Kioshi whispered as he knelt down next to the dog. Kioko's snow-white fur was now dingy with dirt and blood. Kioshi picked her up and held her to his chest, feeling the weak pulse of the dog.

"K-Kio…shi," Kioko whined weakly.

"Shhh! Don't talk! It's going to be fine, I promise," Kioshi said to her, stroking her head lightly, trying to fight back the tears.

"Hahaha! The great white dog has been put to rest! Well, if anyone should be happy, it should be Sesshomaru. Now he can have Rin all to himself." Naraku chuckled humorously.

"Shut the hell up!" Inuyasha snapped, sending a powerful blast at Naraku and just for the kicks, Sesshomaru pulled his sword out and sent a devastating attack as well. As expected, Naraku escaped, but this time he was in countless pieces and his screams of pain were somewhat of a payoff. Inuyasha sheathed his sword and turned around, staying silent when he saw Kioshi slowly rocking Kioko, still petting her fur.

"Look at who I found!" Ondari announced as he dragged Manabu back to the group.

"Let go of me, before I deep-fry you!" Manabu ordered.

"Ooh, monkey-boy, every time you open that mouth, even to breathe," Ondari began, but he closed his mouth when he realized what was going on.

"I used to rock her to sleep when she was still in puppy-form…it always calmed her down," Kioshi said softly.

"Kioshi, stop," Inuyasha insisted calmly as he slowly approached. Kioshi held onto the dog tightly.

"I promised her it would be fine," Kioshi whispered, his eyes screwed shut.

"She's gone, rabbit. The very least you could do is give her the honor a warrior deserves and put her down and quit acting like she was some lap dog." Sesshomaru stated sternly.

"Shut the hell up, Sesshomaru! You're just jealous because everyone liked her better! Even Rin or Ron or whatever the hell her name is!" Inuyasha barked insultingly. Sesshomaru decided to ignore that one.

"No, no. He's right. She was a warrior, not a pet." Kioshi said after taking a quivering breath. He placed her body down on the ground and leaned back, feeling the tears blur his vision once again. Ondari immediately grew angry and held Manabu over the dead dog.

"Look at what you did, Manabu! Do you know what happens to a Zodiac warrior if he kills a fellow Zodiac?" Ondari growled.

"I didn't kill her! She jumped in the way on her own accord! And the funny thing is that the man she protected…didn't even like her! Hahahaha! How unfortunate to give one's life for another filled with nothing but hatred and contempt!" Manabu laughed. Sesshomaru's fist lashed out and struck Manabu directly in the face and knocked him out. Finally…silence.

"Uh, Kioshi, what's that in your armor?" Ondari asked curiously, pointing at the item that was glowing. Kioshi frowned as he reached inside his armor and pulled out the charm that Tamaki gave to him in honor of Kioko's actions.

"Hey, mine's doing that, too," Inuyasha stated, pulling his from his robes and showing it.

"We must get the others'!" Kioshi insisted as he picked Kioko's body up and ran away. Inuyasha was right behind him with whomever else cared to follow.

"What's going on? What happened to Kioko?" Kagome asked worriedly as she ran up to Kioshi, who placed Kioko on the ground.

"That charm, do you still have it?" Kioshi asked hurriedly.

"Yeah, I do, but," Kagome began, but she didn't have time to finish as Kioshi ran past her to collect the other charms from Miroku, Sango and Kagome's from the backpack. Shippo gladly offered his and ran up to see what was happening.

"What're you planning?" Inuyasha asked.

"That whole city considers her a god! Zodiac warriors are considered divine, but maybe, these prayers can save her!" Kioshi explained as he placed the charms onto the dog's neck.

"She is dead. How will mere charms bring her back?" Sesshomaru asked skeptically.

"Seriously, shut the hell up!" Kioshi snapped.

0000000

"Mm…hm?" Kioko groaned as she opened her eyes, looking around and seeing she was floating in complete darkness…except for these random specks of light that seemed to gather around her. She shivered because she was so cold, directly from her core to her outer body, but her attentions were pulled elsewhere.

"Ooh, what pretty lights…do you want to play a game?" Kioko asked excitedly, her tail wagging violently. The lights made cute little squeaking noises, seeming calling other specks of light over to gather around the dog in awe. Kioko noticed the lights were now flying into her body, filling it with warmth.

"Hahahahaha! Stop it! That tickles! Hahahaha!" Kioko laughed breathlessly as the lights seemed to endlessly fly into her until…

"Kioko?" a familiar voice asked. Kioko opened her eyes and blinked a few times, realizing it was nighttime. Her body ached and her head was pounding relentlessly.

"Whoa…what happened?" Kioko asked, finally realizing it was Kioshi who was speaking to her. She also realized that he had her cradled in his lap and had his arms wrapped around her protectively.

"You took that hit from Naraku like a true, fearless warrior…then you died." Inuyasha said from across the campfire.

"I did? But…I made so many friends," Kioko replied, speaking of the lights. She had no clue how much she confused everyone who was listening. Kioshi held her closer to himself and shook his head.

"I don't even want to know," he said to her with a smile.

"But they were soooooo pretty…and warm!" Kioko insisted. She looked down and realized she was in her human form, but she could have sworn she was in her dog form. How odd.

0000000

Sesshomaru sat off in the distance, trying to cloud the loud, depressed cries of Rin from his mind. He had informed her that morning that Kioko would not be coming around because she sacrificed her life for his own. He wanted to leave that last part out, but Kioko, although she was annoying and stupid, was valiant in the end and that deserved some respect. Not to mention that Rin loved the dog dearly and needed to know that she died a good dog. Sesshomaru wished Rin would realize that she now had her lord back in good health and maybe then she would stop crying. The demon lord heard another sniff and turned his head, seeing Jaken hunched over with his back to him.

"Jaken…are you crying?" Sesshomaru asked. Jaken twitched at the sudden sound of his lord's voice.

"No m-my lord…why w-would I be doing…that?" Jaken asked in between sniffs and quivering breaths. Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow. Even Jaken had taken a liking to her? Sesshomaru heard a low whine and turned around completely, seeing Rin crouched on the ground, still crying hysterically, but now Ah-Un, the two-headed dragon, was standing by her, making sad noises with tears coming from its eyes. Sesshomaru was completely out of his element. Everyone around him was crying!

"Wow, you guys are really depressed…what happened?" Kioko asked as she pranced up to Rin, a small basket of goodies hanging from her neck. Rin looked up and gasped with surprise and delight.

"You're alright! I was so worried about you, doggie! Lord Sesshomaru said you were dead!" Rin cried, wrapping her arms around the dog's neck. Ah-Un made happy growling noises as each head licked Kioko. Kioko wasn't sure what exactly happened, but she just wagged her tail and panted. Sesshomaru slowly made his way towards Kioko and bent down, Rin and Ah-Un moving out of the way. Sesshomaru's golden eyes looked over Kioko slowly, noticing the injuries hidden below her coat, the scent of blood and death still clinging to her. Sesshomaru reached out with his hand and gave her one, quick pat on the head before standing up and flying away, saying nothing.

"My ear itches." Kioko announced. Her leg shook when Rin scratched it. It was a great day.


	11. Chapter 11

Big Dog Fights

Kioshi ran through the forest, dodging tree after tree and hearing Kagome's frantic screams for help. He leapt in the air and grabbed his axes from his back, landing down on the demon's back and driving the blades into its back. The monster let out a defeated roar and collapsed.

"Thank you so much, Kioshi," Kagome breathed, pressing her hand to her chest. Kioshi bowed to her and cleared his throat.

"Come on," Kioshi insisted, letting Kagome grab onto him before he leapt away.

"Wow, look at that," Kagome gasped, pointing to Kioshi's right. The man landed on the top of a tree and stopped, turning to get a better look. It was a tall mountain that was covered in a beautiful morning mist.

"Is that a town up there?" Kioshi asked, his purple eyes focusing on what looked like lamps.

"Let's get the others first," Kagome insisted. Kioshi leapt away and hoped that Kioko was safe. He knew she was fine, but ever since she had died and was brought back, it made it even harder to let her go off on her own.

0000000

Ondari followed Kioko through the dark forest. He was finally able to build up the curiosity to see where she disappeared to every night. The rooster was in his human form, tracking Kioko by sound and paw prints she made in the dirt.

"Hi Kioko!" Rin chirped when the dog arrived at the camp, the fire illuminating a small portion of the trees. Kioko snuggled against Rin and yawned tiredly. Rin smiled and began stroking the dog's fur softly, staying quiet and staring into the fire. Ondari cocked his head to the side. This is what she did? She, a warrior, found the company of a human child more important than her mission.

"Rin, in the morning you should go with Ah-Un and find something to eat. We'll be traveling a lot and will have no time to keep you fed." Jaken announced.

"Alright." Rin replied. Kioko opened her eyes and saw the fire flickering and seemingly leaning towards one side more than the other. Ondari realized the fire was reacting to his presence and he began to back away, stepping on a stick and snapping it. Kioko's head jerked in his direction and she stood up, growling defensively.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down. It's only me," Ondari called out, stepping out of the darkness and waving his hands. Kioko immediately stopped growling and wagged her tail.

"Who are you?" Jaken asked angrily, ready to defend Rin. Ondari ignored him and looked down at Kioko.

"As usual, you're goofing off and not doing what you're supposed to do…you think you would've learned from the last time you did that." Ondari said darkly to Kioko, who stopped wagging her tail and stared back.

"That's none of your business," Kioko said back.

"How can Kioshi stand to be around you when you're the reason his beloved is dead? Maybe you really are a cold-blooded killer and your cute dog act is just to hide that fact." Ondari chuckled, pulling his pipe out and lighting it.

"Yeah, because I had motive to kill her…good one." Kioko retorted, transforming into her human form and glaring back.

"Don't you have feelings for him?"

"What are you even talking about, you stupid chicken?" Kioko howled with confusion.

"Bah, don't have a cow. I'm only teasing." Ondari said with a smirk.

"Go away, Ondari." Kioko demanded, crossing her arms and pouting. Ondari cocked an eyebrow and exhaled smoke.

"Kioshi is nervous about you being by yourself and so I am here on his behalf without his knowing." Ondari announced seriously. Kioko rolled her eyes and grabbed her chained hammer, taking a step forward.

"Get out of here before I beat you senseless!" Kioko growled. Ondari chuckled as he placed his hand on his hip.

"Kioko, you're too soft to do anything of the sort," Ondari replied.

"I'm not." a cold voice stated as another presence made itself known. Sesshomaru stood in between Kioko and Ondari, but he faced Ondari and glared icily.

"Hm, how funny."

"There is no reason for you to be here. Leave before I lop off your head." Sesshomaru warned. Ondari glanced at Kioko, who was glaring back. The rooster turned around and walked away quietly. Sesshomaru turned around and looked at Kioko, who stepped forward and bowed her head to him.

"Thank you," Kioko said to him. Sesshomaru stared for a moment before walking past her and sitting down, resting his back against a tree. Kioko sat down and let Rin rest against her for warmth. Jaken put the fire out and curled up against Ah-Un.

0000000

Kioshi approached the sleeping Kioko and Rin slowly. He was trying not to wake Sesshomaru, who was just a few feet away, eyes closed and his chest rising and falling slowly, indicating he was asleep. The rabbit's nose twitched nervously as he took step after small step, his paws making no sounds. He finally reached Kioko, only to let out a squeal when he was effortlessly picked up and heaved into the air.

"Pesky little rabbit," Sesshomaru said calmly, watching with slight pleasure as Kioshi kicked and waved his arms. He finally held the rabbit closer to his face and was now looking Kioshi directly in the eyes. The rabbit's nose twitched, but he was calm.

"I was here to get Kioko," Kioshi said.

"And if she doesn't want to leave?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Uh," Kioshi stuttered.

"I'm ready." Kioko yawned, standing up and scratching her messy hair. She shook her head until he hair fell back into place…somewhat. Sesshomaru's eyes never left Kioshi's, his eyebrow cocked slightly, but he handed the dog-girl the rabbit and turned as he woke Jaken by stepping on the imp mercilessly.

"Come Kioko, we must return quickly," Kioshi announced, sitting on Kioko's shoulder and deciding to be lazy for once. As Kioko walked through the forest, she felt her frown deepen as a scent entered her nose. It was the scent of grave soil and bones.

"Kioshi," the dog-girl began.

"I know, I smell it too," Kioshi replied, leaping off her shoulder and transforming into his human form. He inhaled deeply and wondered if it was Kikyo's scent he smelled, for she was of the walking dead. Kioko let out a whine as she fought with herself about which way to go. Should she go back to Kagome and be sent out to do something? Should she follow the scent of death? Should she go back and protect Rin, because Sesshomaru surely would check this out.

"Damn it!" Kioshi groaned as he leapt away.

"You know, every time you go away, something happens!" Kioko shouted from behind as she followed him.

"Yeah I know," Kioshi sighed hopelessly. They arrived at the camp and noticed that it had been abandoned. The two warriors transformed into the rabbit and dog Zodiac warriors and ran off in the direction of the scents of death. Kioko stopped running and caught Sesshomaru's scent already at the destination. She began running again and found Kioshi already carrying two limp bodies from a hut. He crawled back in and carried out another. Kioko recognized Miroku and Sango and picked them up in her massive arms, Kioshi carrying Kagome. The two warriors found a safe, grassy area and placed them down.

"You have to help Inuyasha! Please!" Shippo screamed as he ran up to the warriors. Kioko looked a Kioshi and nodded at him.

"I won't be long! I promise!" Kioshi insisted, bounding off in the direction that Shippo pointed him in.

"Please help," Kioko yipped urgently to anyone who was listening as her ears went flat. Kioko reverted to her dog form so as not to attract anything to herself. Her ears perked when she saw the gates of a village not too far away.

"Shippo, go see if you can find someone! Hurry!" Kioko insisted, nudging the fox demon with her head. He ran off quickly, screaming for help. Kioko wished there was something she could do. She could heal injuries, but poisons in the blood were something she couldn't do. Kioko sniffed Kagome's face and licked Miroku's face before pawing at Sango. No one reacted.

"I found help!" Shippo called out excitedly as a tall man followed with a wooden wheel-barrel of some sort. Kioko let out whines and yips of concern as the man kindly placed each person onto the wooden contraption. He watched with amazement as Kioko positioned herself at the front and Shippo latched the ropes and harness to her.

"An interesting dog," the man commented when he saw the white dog pulling the carriage with little problems. She would slow down when she came across a lump in the ground, but Kioko kept tugging and never stopped. She pulled into the village and frowned when she realized no one was there.

"Up to the temple! I have plenty of space in there!" the man called.

"Go Kioko! Pull!" Shippo shouted eagerly. Kioko pulled and made it to the temple in no time at all. The man turned out to be a monk, but something about him made Kioko uneasy. He was kind enough to carry the sickened people into the temple and give them all the care he could, but he was still…off.

"All we can do now is wait and pray." He said to Shippo, who was on the verge of tears. The man rested his eyes on Kioko, who was sitting on the other side of Kagome, her blue eyes blazing back at him distrustfully. Her ears lay flat on her head and her head was held somewhat low, like she was ready to bark.

000000000

Inuyasha panted as the metal wires made it impossible to lift his blade. They also sliced into his skin and caused many cuts to appear on his body. Ondari was able to escape, but not without severe injury. He was now in his rooster form, which reminded Inuyasha more of a phoenix. The rooster's right wing had been cut and broken and it was now resting in the tree.

"Hey Ondari! Think you can melt these wires?" Inuyasha called out. The rooster transformed back into his human form and shook his head in the negative.

"I would try, but they wreak of kerosene, bro! I'd only be helping Mr. Sneaky-Man!" Ondari shouted back, holding his right arm with his left hand.

"I have the robe of the fire rat! Fire can't hurt me! Do it!" Inuyasha insisted. Ondari stood up straight on the tree branch and nodded. He held his left hand out, but stopped when he heard the wind picking up.

"Don't do it! I'm here!" Kioshi shouted as the gust of wind blew through the forested battleground, slicing all of the wires in half and releasing Inuyasha.

"Where are Kagome and the others?" Inuyasha asked the rabbit.

"Kioko is watching over them!" Kioshi answered, not wanting to reveal more details to worry the half-demon. Inuyasha nodded and turned around to face his opponent, who made a hissing noise as he stepped forward. Kioshi felt his eyes widen when he saw the contraption. It was no man. He was a machine with human parts. His machine parts were weapons.

"I'm ready to take his candy-ass down! I'm tired of this!" Ondari shouted as he leapt down from the tree he was perched on.

"I'll kill him and then we can celebrate, boys," Inuyasha remarked with a smirk. He charged his blade up and blasted a strong wind scar as Ondari and Kioshi sent in their two cents as well, blasting the metal man to pieces.

00000000000

Kioko looked down when she heard Kagome making gasping noises and small grunts as she tried to say something. Kioko leaned down to where her ear was in close range of Kagome's mouth. The dog wanted to see what she was trying to say.

"Sh…sh…ards…his…n-neck," Kagome could barely whisper, but Kioko heard her clearly. The monk had lit some incense and was now standing just outside the temple's entrance. Kioko stood up and began growling. He turned around and smirked, holding the small glass jar that Kagome kept her jewel shards in. The man's real scent was hidden by all of the incense and other perfumes that Kioko didn't notice right away, but now she knew…he was of the dead.

"Smart dog, aren't you? I would consider keeping you as my pet, but you've already made it obvious that you don't like me," he said. Kioko noticed his voice was sounding like she was listening from underwater. Her vision blurred and she was no longer able to stand. Kioko fell over and lost consciousness.

00000000000

"Hm?" Kioko moaned as she woke up, finding herself in a beautiful space where there was a nice little waterfall and a pond near her.

"You're awake," Kioshi said, patting Kioko on the head. She tried to wag her tail, but she noticed she was in her human form. So she settled with a smile.

"That's about all I can do…sorry!" Myoga the flea groaned as he fell over, now a thousand times his size. Kioko stood up and walked over to Sango and Miroku, both whose skin was pale and slightly singed, as were their clothes. Kioko looked over at the water where Inuyasha sat on the ground, holding Kagome in his lap. She almost looked dead. Kioko began walking towards them.

"Deja-vu, isn't it? Except this time around, you were actually there…and the lady still dies! Kioko, you are not racking up a great record, dear." Ondari chirped as he stood against a tree, smoking his pipe like he usually did. Everyone who was awake turned their heads when they heard a vicious snarl, followed by a whipping noise and Ondari's scream of pain when the iron hammer of the dog warrior smashed into his already injured body. Ondari's body smashed into a tree and knocked it down. He let out a cough as blood spilled from his mouth.

"Kioko! Damn it! This isn't the time to be fighting! We're all injured!" Kioshi shouted at the dog warrior. Kioko turned her massive head to her partner and let out one long, loud and angry howl, making sure she showed each and every one of her sharp, white fangs. Her howl was almost a roar and it echoed throughout the mountainous valley and fell upon the pointed ears of Sesshomaru. He stopped walking and turned his head, looking back in the direction it came from.

"What's wrong, my lord?" Jaken asked.

"Was that really her?" he said under his breath. It sounded like Kioko, but not the happy-go-lucky Kioko he knew. She sounded very angry.

Kioshi flinched when he looked into her blue eyes and they were no longer lively and innocent. They were icy and empty of any caring.

"Kioko," Kioshi stuttered, his voice softened. Kioko's ears flattened as she transformed back into her dog form. She looked over and saw that Kagome had awakened and was hugging Inuyasha tightly. He was hugging her back, as well. Kioko stared at them longingly. She wanted a hug. She knew something about that man was off and yet she still let him trick her. Now he has Kagome's jewel shards. That was on Kioko's hands…paws. She had to get them back to make up for her failure.

"Why did you attack Ondari?" Kioshi asked Kioko softly, reaching out to touch her, but Kioko immediately backed up and growled at him warningly. She barked at him before running off into the mountainous forest. She was going to find that man and get the jewel shards back.

000000

Kioko had been tracking the man's scent for two entire days. She knew she was getting closer. Kioko sniffed the ground, trying to find out where he went after visiting this tree for a rest. She took one deep inhale through her nose and luckily the wind was on her side, because it brought an even more recent scent of his right to her nose. Kioko trotted away, tail in the air and nose on the ground.

It was close to nighttime and Kioko had lost the fake-monk's scent, but another scent caught her attention. It was also that of a dead person, but there was another scent in the wind…Rin's. Sesshomaru, Jaken or Ah-Un were nowhere near Rin and that was definitely odd. Kioko couldn't see Sesshomaru abandoning Rin at a human village. He was too close to the girl.

The sun was starting to come up and Kioko finally reached the village, which was at the base of the giant mountain that had been giving Kioko a bad feeling. She decided to skip the village and go through the field and straight to the little shack where Rin's scent remained, as well as that of a dead person's.

"Doggy! Come here, doggy!" a group of children beckoned to Kioko, who was racing through the field towards them. She greeted them happily and enjoyed all of the strokes and hugs she was getting.

"Everyone, this is Rin. Please be nice to her." A man announced as he walked out of the house, the small girl beside him. All the kids waved to Rin and told her to come meet Kioko. Rin's eyes watered as she ran up to Kioko, hugging her tightly.

"Oh I missed you so much! So much! I can't find Lord Sesshomaru and he hasn't come yet!" Rin cried frantically.

"Rin, is this your dog?" the man asked curiously.

"He was just running through the fields, Dr. Suikotsu!" one child exclaimed. Kioko noticed his scent and immediately put herself between Rin and the man, snarling and barking at him. He held his hands up and smiled down at her softly.

"I get it, I get it…she's your friend. I promise I won't hurt you or anyone else." The man, whom the kids kept calling Dr. Suikotsu, said softly as he backed away.

"That's so cute! The doggy came to find his friend and he found her!" a girl cooed.

"I think it's a girl dog," another said with less enthusiasm.

"Kioko, don't be scary, please," Rin cried, burying her face in the dog's snow-white coat. Kioko immediately lightened up and sighed. The kids all petted her and beckoned her and Rin to play.

"Um, I guess I can until Lord Sesshomaru comes," Rin finally agreed. Kioko sped after one child and ran in circles playfully, making the entire group of kids laugh, but she kept a watchful eye on Suikotsu, who was pulling medicinal herbs from a garden by his house. He was doing his own thing and looked up once in a while, finding the mysterious white dog staring back.

That night, Kioko lay snuggled beside Rin in the hut, but she didn't dare go to sleep. She held her head up and stared at Suikotsu, who sat across the hut and was sleeping. He would occasionally murmur and twitch in his sleep, but he was still most of the time. Kioko looked at the side of the hut, which was opened right into the field and on the road were men riding on horses to the hut. Suikotsu woke and walked out to meet them. The children were woke by the noise and also walked outside.

"Kioko, I'm scared," Rin shivered. Kioko watched as Suikotsu swung his arm, metal claws slashing the old man open. He fell off his horse and hit the ground dead. The rest of the men gasped and were chased down by Suikotsu, who killed every last one. Kioko was so confused. His aura was pure and his eyes were kind…even while killing.

"Suikotsu, I'm glad you're back to your old self," another voice announced. Kioko looked over and saw a man, who looked like a woman, walking up. He had a sword resting on his shoulder, his messy black hair pulled into a bun and his lips were a seductive red. He also smelled of graveyard soil.

"Yes, Jakotsu, I'm feeling much better." Suikotsu answered with a kind smile.

"Well, let's go. Sesshomaru's closing in on us and the only thing that would hold him back is the mountain's barrier." Jakotsu sighed. Kioko could hear Rin's heart beating out of her chest.

"First I need to kill these dirty little children," Suikotsu said, but Kioko jumped in front of him and barked defensively.

"And this mangy mutt, too. She's been watching me all damn day." Suikotsu added with a smirk. Kioko growled.

"Hm, that's weird. Renkotsu mentioned being watched by a white dog with a blue neckerchief when he was trying to kill Inuyasha's friends," Jakotsu said aloud. Suikotsu grinned even wider.

"A guardian dog? I thought that was just a myth!" he shouted, slashing his claws at Kioko, who dodged and latched onto his arm with her fangs. He threw her up in the air, where she transformed into her dog warrior form and landed, swinging her hammer and striking the ground. She had missed.

"What the hell kind of trickery is this?" Suikotsu growled. Jakotsu had picked up Rin, who was trying to make a run for it.

"Let's go, Suikotsu! It must be a demon! The barrier is our only hope!" Jakotsu called out as he ran towards the mountain. Suikotsu also took off, but Kioko was too fast and cut them off.

"Bitch!" another voice shouted. Kioko turned around and was met by a charge by Takara, who was more than happy to distract her. Kioko snarled and was able to stop his charge, pick him up and slam him on his back.

"Aaaahhhh! Kioko!" Rin screamed helplessly. Kioko fought to get away, but Takara was on her case. He slammed his hoof at her, but she was able to dodge cleanly and swing her hammer in retaliation. Takara was struck and fell onto his side.

"Either I've gotten better or you've gotten worse," Kioko breathed. She heard a loud roar and felt her tail wag when she saw the white tiger.

"Go…save the girl…the mule is mine!" Tora growled. Kioko nodded and placed her hammer back where it belonged and ran off to save Rin. She found a mountain passage and ran up it where Sesshomaru was fighting both Jakotsu as Suikotsu held Rin hostage, his sharp claws held at her neck. He saw the approaching dog and glared.

"One more step and she's dead!" Suikotsu shouted. Sesshomaru landed in front of her and kept his back to the dog warrior.

"Stay back. You'll only be in my way." The demon lord stated. Kioko growled, but she allowed him to do what he wanted, seeing as Rin's life was on the line. Sesshomaru fought valiantly, but he wasn't getting anywhere. He seemed like he was in a slower motion than usual. Kioko also noticed his strength had diminished. Was he sick? Dying? What was going on? Kioko held her hammer in her paw and stepped forward. This shit was going to end now! She held the hammer straight up and watched as the moonlight reflected off it, the heavenly blue aura appearing.

"Judging hammer of the Heavens!" Kioko howled, smashing the hammer down on the ground and summoning the shock-barrier. Sesshomaru gasped, but watched as the attack went straight though him without harming him or Rin and just incapacitating Jakotsu and Suikotsu.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin called out happily as she ran up to him. Kioko's tail wagged. Was he going to hug her? Lift the little girl into the air and do a little spin before kissing her forehead? No. He just looked down at her and said nothing. Just then, an arrow shot past him and hit Suikotsu in the neck, changing him back to his true, pure self.

"Kikyo," Suikotsu whispered, watching as the woman walked up to him, her face blank as she knelt down. A few words were spoken before Jakotsu recovered and swung his sword, tearing a jewel shard from Suikotsu's neck, turning the man into bone. Jakotsu ran off with the jewel shard and Kikyo stood up.

"I did not need help from a mere woman," Sesshomaru announced. Kikyo snorted slightly as she turned around, walking away and saying nothing. Kioko reverted to her dog form and ran up the path, returning to her mission of tracking and retrieving the stolen shards.

"My lord, Kioko saved me," Rin said aloud. Sesshomaru blinked and looked down.

"Let's go." He said back, walking further into the mountain.

AN- I switched some scenes from the show/manga around to suit my wants and needs…don't hate the playa, hate the game. Thanks for reading and in the next chapter…you'll have to wait to find out. Oh and try to donate to a nearby charity to help cure Squaids…it's some serious shit, man.


	12. Chapter 12

Blaaaaaah

AN- So my manager won't train me for box office because I don't smile and I'm not friendly…which is why I score one-hundred percent on my customer reviews and secret-shopper reviews, not to mention one lady personally walked up to my manager and told her that I'm the sweetest, most helpful person she's ever met at the movie theaters. Yup. I'm not friendly at all, bitch. I may not be chipper and bouncy, but that doesn't make me unfriendly.

Sorry, had to rant for a bit.

00000000

Kioko trotted up the misty mountain path, her nose pointed at the ground. She quickly lifted her head when she heard an explosion come from further up the mountain. Kioko snarled and began running, gaining speed that would rival the wind. She finally saw, in the distance, the false monk riding on some kind of machine, but it was also of the dead. Kioko didn't stop to ask questions. She saw the man who stole Kagome's shards aim a cannon at someone, ready to fire, but the white dog took a giant leap, her large forepaws tagging the man in the back and knocking him to the ground, his attack firing in the air.

"What the hell? What're you doing here?" Koga asked the white dog furiously. Kioko took a step towards him and growled deeply.

"This bad-ass is mine! Back off!" Kioko barked. She heard the machine-man coming up on her and moved out of the way, transforming into her giant dog warrior form, hammer at the ready. She charged at the machine and began pushing him back, trying to get him to fall off the mountain, but he dug sharp ends into her arms. Kioko ripped free and began smashing him with her hammer, breaking off a few of his guns. She went for the spider-like legs and smashed them as well before backing off and dodging a firebomb.

"I knew it! You're no dog! I'll deal with you after I grab his jewel shards!" Renkotsu shouted, turning to the tired and injured Koga. Kioko threw her chained hammer at him and missed, but she saved Koga from being blasted. Kioko's ears twitched when she heard something. She turned her head and realized the machine-man was laughing, the gears on his body cranking. Kioko could smell the fire and gunpowder. She ran after Koga, who was now on his back, his legs badly injured.

"Hm?" Renkotsu noticed what his partner was up to and took cover. Kioko stood in front of Koga and held her hammer up before slamming it down and sending out the shockwave, knocking the machine man off the mountain just as he exploded. The barrier the dog-warrior made protected Koga and herself, but she saw something shiny fly at Renkotsu, who caught it and stared at it. It was another jewel shard! Renkotsu used the cover of the smoke to run further up the mountain, but Kioko lunged after him, only to stop. Koga was seriously injured. She couldn't just leave him there.

"Are your comrades anywhere near here?" Kioko asked Koga, who let out a few growls of pain before responding.

"They're down the mountain, inside a cave," Koga answered willingly. Kioko wrapped her chains around her waist to free her paws of her hammer. She picked Koga up and began walking down.

"Kioko! Kioko!" a familiar voice shouted. Through the mist, Kagome sprinted towards the dog and injured wolf. Kioko's tail wagged as she waited for Kagome.

"What're you doing here?" Kioko asked curiously.

"It's a long story, but Sango and Miroku went up the mountain a while ago, but they haven't returned. We were trying to find them until Inuyasha smelled blood." Kagome explained, looking back at the half-demon, who was not happy.

The group found the cave that Koga's comrades were in. Kioko gently laid Koga on the ground and let Kagome tend to him. His injuries were not something Kioko wanted to waste energy on, seeing on how he was a demon and they would heal within the hours. Kioko transformed into her human form and yawned, only to receive a sharp slap to the back of the head.

"Ow! What was that for?" Kioko shouted at Kioshi, who glared back angrily.

"You run off for five days after attacking Ondari and almost attacking me? You deserve much more than that!" Kioshi yelled back.

"Hit me again and we'll see who gets what! I'm not playing around, rabbit!" Kioko warned angrily, her eyes blazing into his.

"I find that very hard to believe," Kioshi said back, gritting his teeth.

"I was tracking the guy who stole Kagome's jewel shards and almost killed her, Sango and Miroku! I found him! He's just up the mountain! I left to kill him! What're you doing? Hopping around and eating carrots?" Kioko lashed back viciously, almost losing it entirely and slapping Kioshi in return, but she kept her hands to herself.

"Oh, so you've got jokes? Kioko, you're nowhere near trained as you need to be to do something like that."

"Fuck you! Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you! Why is it I'm the one who gets blamed for Himeko's death when you're the one she assigned to be her personal protector? Damn! I can't even track someone down without being told that I'm not able to do it!" Kioko howled as she exited the cave to splash water on her face from the flowing river right in front. She froze when a dark, oily coat began covering the surface and the scent of death entered her nose.

"Stay in the cave! He's mine!" Inuyasha hollered, leaping up the river where Renkotsu stood. The man chuckled cynically before tossing something into the river. Kioko stepped back quickly, watching as the entire river was ignited with flames.

"Damn it! I was going to wash my face with that water!" Kioko barked as she leapt up the river as well. Renkotsu was hers to kill. Inuyasha ignored Kioko's attempts and dodged the firebombs. Kioko used this moment to get up and personal and start throwing fists. She nailed him in the face and grabbed his cannon, but the man would not let go of it. The two fought over it and it went off once more, the explosion landing at the cave.

"Kioko! Watch it!" Inuyasha shouted.

"Shut up!" Kioko hollered back, throwing an elbow and knocking Renkotsu back. The man growled and threw a hidden bomb at Kioko, who merely kicked it away. The explosion landed on the wall and caused a few cracks to appear. Inuyasha had leapt back to the cave and covered Kagome with his robe before leaping back into the fight.

"You're not doing anybody any good fighting like a rabid dog!" Inuyasha scolded Kioko as he landed in front of her, his sword aimed at Renkotsu. Renkotsu took this opportunity to load his cannon and fire it. Inuyasha leapt out of the way, but Kioko didn't move. She blocked her face with her armored arms and was knocked back and off the edge.

"Aaahh! Kioshi, do something!" Kagome screamed at the rabbit, but he remained in place and watched as Kioko landed in the fiery river. She had to learn that she wasn't trained enough to fight such serious battles. If Kioshi's words couldn't teach her, perhaps Renkotsu's bombs could. Kioshi walked out of the cave and used his wind to blow the oil out of the way, creating a spot she could use for air and jump out, but it didn't happen.

"Come on, Kioko. Stop trying to prove a point and just come out." Kioshi whispered under his breath. Did she not understand that she was going to die without his help? Kioshi looked further up the river and saw that Renkotsu was starting to get pissed and was now purposely firing at the cave. Kioshi used his wind to deflect a few and decided that Kioko had chosen her fate. He had to get everyone out of the cave.

"Let's go! We can't stay here!" Kioshi shouted. Koga's two comrades picked the injured wolf up and Kagome looked at Kioshi, tears in her eyes.

"Why didn't you help her?" Kagome asked him.

"Kioshi! Get her out of here now!" Inuyasha barked hurriedly. Kioshi nodded and picked Kagome up, despite her screaming and defiance and ran away. Kioshi placed Kagome on the ground and ran back to the flaming river, determined to help in any way. Inuyasha, without his robe, was susceptible to fire and the mountain's barrier was weakening Inuyasha and his sword. A huge explosion swallowed the valley and river and Kioshi stopped running immediately, panting as he frantically looked around. No Inuyasha. No Renkotsu. No Kioko.

"Damn it…why couldn't you have just fucking listened to me? For once in your life?" Kioshi hissed, turning over a few rocks, trying to find his friends. He checked the cave to see if anyone used it for cover. The inside of the cave had collapsed and there were no signs of life. Kioshi turned around and ran back to Kagome and the others.

"Shut up! You're just jealous because she was worried about me and not you!" Inuyasha hollered at Koga while holding Kagome close to his burned and bruised body, but otherwise, he was fine. Kioko limped up to Kagome in her dog form and yipped sorrowfully. Kagome looked down and hugged her too.

"Kioko, Inuyasha…you survived?" Kioshi asked, approaching the group.

"Yeah, Renkotsu got away, too," Inuyasha growled distastefully. Kioshi figured that was the case. He bent down and looked at Kioko, who stared back blankly.

"Kioko, I'm aaaaahhhhh! What're you doing?" Kioshi screamed. He had reached up to pet her, but she lunged and bit his arm and pinned him on his back, pounding her paws into him and snapping her jaws on whatever was not covered in armor. When she was happy with what she had done, she backed off and turned around, walking away.

"Where're you going?" Kioshi asked weakly, but he received no answer. The white dog disappeared up the crumbled valley.

00000000

It was nighttime and Kioko found Rin, Ah-Un and Jaken, but no Sesshomaru. That made the dog sigh with relief. She wasn't sure she could handle him at the moment. She approached and realized that Jaken and Ah-Un were groaning and growling with pain, but Rin was fine.

"Kioko!" Rin called out happily. Kioko walked up and sat down, not really showing much affection. Rin didn't seem to notice as she pet the dog's fur softly.

"Your coat is all dirty. Were you rolling around in mud?" Rin asked curiously. Kioko shook her head in the negative and yawned in reply. Rin giggled and continued petting Kioko for a few moments until a white blur landed next to the fire.

"Lord Sesshomaru! You've returned!" Rin said happily. Sesshomaru said nothing to her and turned his head, seeing the singed and dirty Kioko. For once, she wasn't hyper or bouncing around. She seemed to be in a trance.

"It seems as if the dog had some rabbit for dinner," Sesshomaru stated aloud. Rin was a bit confused and Kioko let out a confused whine.

"The scent of the rabbit's blood drips from your disgusting mouth…did you finally decide to take your place on the food chain and eat him?" Sesshomaru asked spitefully. Kioko's eyes narrowed and she pouted, but she said nothing back and turned her away, laying down and curling up. Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow. She wasn't talking, either?

"I think she's sick, my lord." Rin stated, just now noticing the dog's strange behavior.

"Maybe the rabbit upset her…stomach." Sesshomaru said back, adding the "stomach" part on just to be an asshole. Also, he was trying to get a rise out of Kioko, but she remained curled up, eyes closed and breathing slow.

0000000

"Inuyasha, don't go! You still haven't healed up from earlier!" Kagome insisted to the half-demon, who snorted as he continued his way up the mountain.

"I'm perfectly fine, Kagome! Kioshi, come get her!" Inuyasha ordered, looking back at the rabbit-man, who stood still, his arms crossed and eyes closed.

"She's your woman. You deal with her." Kioshi replied shortly. Inuyasha's ears twitched as he and Kagome looked at one another with wide-eyes. Kagome leaned up into Inuyasha's ear.

"He's upset from earlier." She whispered.

"I don't give a damn! I gave him an order!" Inuyasha said back.

"And you are not my master, therefore your order falls on deaf ears." Kioshi responded in the same, icy tone.

"Look, you stupid rabbit, I don't care what Kioko did or said to you, but we are in the middle of battle with dead people! Do you mind dropping the attitude and doing something?" Inuyasha hollered with irritability. Kioshi finally opened his eyes, purple glaring into gold.

"As Kioko said to me…fuck you." Kioshi responded with a smirk. Inuyasha fumed a bit, but he turned around and exhaled.

"Kagome, stay here, I'll be right back," Inuyasha insisted before leaping away. Kagome stared after him, but she finally exhaled and turned around, walking up to Kioshi slowly.

"You act as if I'm going to attack you," Kioshi said when she finally got close enough.

"Well, I didn't want to startle you." Kagome said back. Kioshi let out a small snort as he looked into the night sky. The moon was full this night. Kagome stared up and took in the sight as well. It was beautiful night, despite what was happening.

"She said something about protecting Himeko…what was she talking about?" Kagome asked softly. Kioshi looked down at the ground, gritting his teeth a bit.

"The woman who summoned the Zodiac Warriors…she was the daughter of a war lord. Her name was Himeko. She assigned each warrior a different mission and sent the warriors on their way. She kept two by her side while she was in hiding from her father, who was trying to kill her for betrayal. She chose Kioko and myself as her guards. We took turns. One night, when I was coming to switch with Kioko, she wasn't at her post and Himeko was inside, dead." Kioshi explained, his voice choking up a bit at the end. Kagome noticed, but she didn't want to upset him.

"Where was Kioko?" Kagome asked.

"Out on a little adventure, as usual." Kioshi answered with a heavy sigh, his tone showing that it didn't surprise him, but it still upset him. Kagome nodded and looked down, remembering the scene from earlier when Kioko attacked Kioshi for no reason and then just walked away like nothing happened.

"Do you think…oh, I hate even thinking this, but do you think Kioko attacked Himeko? Like she did to you?" Kagome shivered at the thought of a bloodthirsty Kioko.

"After what happened today, I can see it, but Himeko would have had to have something awful to get Kioko that upset."

"Did they get along?"

"Oh, of course. Himeko treated Kioko more like a lap dog than a warrior. She knew that Kioko was not the fighting type and so she kept her around to be able to have fun and talk with someone."

"I think you're fun to talk to, too." Kagome giggled. Kioshi smiled a bit.

"She and I talked about more serious matters. When she talked to Kioko, it was usually about what food was good with what spice. Kioko taught Himeko how to swim and Himeko gave Kioko all the attention she could handle."

"What exactly did you and Himeko talk about?" Kagome quizzed. She had a feeling that Kioshi was avoiding that particular subject because he loved her, but she had to hear it for herself.

"Well…uh, we discussed which regions needed the warriors the most. We also were talking about…stuff."

"Kioshi," Kagome warned.

"Fine, fine. She usually told me about her dream home and I would just listen. I didn't talk much."

"I'll just ask Kioko what happened when she comes back," Kagome stated with a giggle.

"Good luck getting a straight answer from her," Kioshi retorted.

"Yeah, but I have patience! And determination! Let's go back to Shippo and Kirara, I'm sure they're lonely…and Koga isn't the best of company." Kagome insisted as she walked away.

0000000000

The next morning, Kioko woke up and yawned as she began walking away. She noticed that Jaken and Ah-Un were finally sleeping peacefully and of course, Sesshomaru was gone. And he wondered why Rin was always getting kidnapped.

"I see you are finally awake," Sesshomaru said, standing at a small pond and clenching and unclenching his hand.

"Nope. Just having an outer-body experience." Kioko replied dryly.

"The mountain's barrier has disappeared and I can smell Naraku's filthy scent coming from deep within,"

"That's a problem and you should probably get that checked out,"

"You're quite grumpy." Sesshomaru said, walking back to the camp where his underlings slept. Kioko rolled her eyes. Whatever. She felt a rumble come from the ground and turned back to the mountain. Dark clouds began forming directly over the peak. She heard a high-pitched scream and recognized it as Rin, but she saw Sesshomaru wave his sword and eliminate the group of demons that had snuck out.

"Get down!" Sesshomaru ordered Kioko, who turned her head and huffed. She summoned the water from the pond and watched as the liquid sliced through the snake-like demons that lunged after her. Sesshomaru stopped his charge when he realized what had happened.

"You controlled the water," he pointed out.

"It's a new trick I learned yesterday," Kioko explained simply. Sesshomaru nodded and decided to get to higher ground and take out the demons that seemed to be sprouting from the mountain.

0000000

"Damn…it…all!" Inuyasha grunted as he pinned Kagome and Shippo behind him, holding his blade up to deflect the wind scar that was flying around the cavern. They had finally found Naraku, but he wasn't just sitting around. The demon had definitely gotten much stronger and much more disgusting. He deflected Inuyasha's wind scar and the attack was now rampaging around.

"Sit back!" Kioshi shouted, leaping from the bottom and pulling his axes out. He summoned the wind and began leading the wind scar to the top of the cavern. Naraku flew out of the way and growled, wondering just what the rabbit was up to. Kioshi used the wind scar to blow the top of the mountain off and create an escape route for the others. He flew down and grabbed Kagome and Shippo.

"Get them out of here! I'm going after Koga!" Inuyasha hollered, leaping into the mound of demon flesh that was constricting Koga, who held two shards, one in each leg. Kioshi transformed into his rabbit warrior form and leapt straight up, using the wind beneath him to push him up even further. He saw Sango and Miroku riding Kirara and following him out. Demons that Naraku kept locked up also followed them out.

"There are thousands of them!" Sango shouted, hacking some to pieces to help the escape go smoother. Miroku used his sacred slips of paper to purify them as well.

"Watch out!" Kagome hollered. Kioshi flipped and dodged a bolt of lightning. He saw Sesshomaru standing on the edge of a cliff, lowering his sword and looking bored to bits. Kioko stood beside him and crouched slightly before leaping off the edge and transforming into her dog warrior form. She threw her hammer and began slaughtering demons left and right. Kioko bit them in half, stepped on them and blasted them with her hammer, causing Kioshi to second guess himself when he said that there was no way Kioko would have killed Himeko. Sesshomaru saw Naraku land and decided to end it all…now. The demon lord took a leap and landed on the edge of the fallen mountain, staring Naraku right in his crimson red eyes.

"Ah, Sesshomaru, how nice of you to show up and witness my rise to power," Naraku chuckled with a grin.

"Has anyone bothered to tell you that your jokes are horrible?" Sesshomaru replied calmly, aiming his sword at the disgusting demon.

"I know I've bothered to tell you that sword won't work on me…it came from me." Naraku said back.

"Your point?" Sesshomaru growled, but his eyes shifted when he saw something approach from the dust cloud. A short, but very slender woman slowly walked out and stood beside Naraku. She wore the same attire as Kioko, but this woman wore brown and her eyes were brown. Her long, white hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she wasn't ugly. She slowly reached over and pulled her katana blade out, holding it professionally with both hands.

"Heh, woman, you dare challenge me to a sword fight?" Sesshomaru asked arrogantly. She immediately stuck her blade in the ground and placed her left fist against her right palm, bowing slightly.

"I am Nezumi, the rat warrior, and I have been ordered to kill you, Lord Sesshomaru. Prepare yourself," she said, her voice smooth, but stern. Sesshomaru held his sword at the ready and allowed her to take a stance, seeing as she was respectable at the very least. Naraku didn't run for once. He wanted to see it for himself. According to Takara, Nezumi was built to wield a blade and trained nonstop to learn new ways to defeat an opponent. The only thing about her that bothered Naraku was her honor. Takara said that she would rather die than to cheat in a fight and Naraku was all about doing whatever he can to win.

"Not bad," Sesshomaru said after stepping forward to test the waters. She blocked and met him step-for-step, her eyes never leaving his. She was definitely not a rookie.

"You are also formidable, but enough playing around," Nezumi responded solidly. Sesshomaru smirked. He couldn't agree more. The two swung their swords and the blades clashed. Sesshomaru unlocked his blade from hers and spun around, only for her to block his attack once more. She swiped at his neck and missed, but she blocked his sword once more. The two warriors pushed away from one another and backed away. Playtime was over. Nezumi stamped her foot on the ground and immediately three boulders rose in the air. She swung her blade and sent the rocks flying. Sesshomaru sliced one, dodged another and kicked the third away before charging up an attack and sending a wave of lightning her way. Nezumi held her sword's blade vertically and stamped the ground again. This time she went underground entirely. Sesshomaru listened intensely and heard something come to his left. He turned and swiped at a rock and did a flip in the air, dodging Nezumi's true attack entirely.

"I will say this, you are probably one of the fastest opponents I've fought," Nezumi stated as she took a stance, getting ready to charge.

"And you will be the umpteenth opponent I have killed!" Sesshomaru said back, leaping forward and slamming his blade against hers. Nezumi matched his strength and threw him off her blade as she kicked another boulder at the demon lord. Sesshomaru leapt even higher in the air and dodged, remaining in the air. Nezumi placed her blade in her mouth as she stamped a small path, summoning countless rocks and boulders. She began punching and kicking them at Sesshomaru, who cut them and dodged them before firing another attack. Nezumi leapt in the air and did the splits, the attack going right beneath her. She grabbed her blade from her mouth and ran at Sesshomaru, leaping and swinging her blade down. Sesshomaru blocked it, but felt something strike him in the back. Sesshomaru landed and panted slightly.

"Back off, Takara! He's mine!" Nezumi shouted, stepping in between Sesshomaru and the horse warrior.

"You're taking too long!" Takara hollered back.

"No, let her fight, Takara. You'll have your fun." Naraku insisted with a grin. Sesshomaru turned around and faced Nezumi, who bowed and cleared her throat.

"Forgive me, but I will not fight if you have been injured by someone else." Nezumi stated aloud. Sesshomaru blinked, Takara groaned and Naraku cursed.

"I order you to attack! Now!" Naraku bellowed.

"Master Himeko knew that swearing allegiance to whoever summons us would backfire, so she chose only me to swear allegiance to the honorable code of the warrior before swearing to a master. When your order interferes with honor, then I can choose whether or not to attack. I choose not to." Nezumi explained calmly, still in a bowing position. Sesshomaru sensed someone behind him and turned, seeing Kikyo with a bow and arrow, firing it at Naraku. The horse warrior slapped the arrow away and stepped back to allow Naraku to do his thing.

"Ah, Kikyo, I was wondering when you would show up," Naraku purred.

"Move away, Sesshomaru. He's mine." Kikyo stated warningly.

"Hn, do as you please." Sesshomaru replied, knowing she could do nothing to the demon, Naraku. Words were spoken between the dead priestess and demon and Naraku finally reached out with his hand that transformed into a cleaver and struck Kikyo, knocking her off the cliff. Sesshomaru heard Nezumi chant a prayer and he heard a rumble from below. Did the rat warrior just secretly save the priestess?

Sesshomaru waited for everything to cool down before walking away. He knew that trying to kill Naraku would end in failure and so it had to be for a different time. The demon lord heard someone screaming his name and turned his head, seeing his younger brother approaching.

"You…Sesshomaru! You let Naraku kill Kikyo! Why didn't you step in?" Inuyasha hollered at the top of his lungs. Sesshomaru kept calm and only frowned slightly.

"That woman was not my responsibility, Inuyasha. Blame yourself." Sesshomaru replied sternly as he walked away to join up with his followers.

0000000000

It was later that night that Kagome told everyone to settle down, make camp and get a good rest. Kioshi watched as Kioko showed him that she could now control water. It made the man smile as he pat Kioko on the back before putting his arm around her shoulders.

"I told you we should've summoned the dragon instead of Ondari. Where the hell has he been?" Kioko asked Kioshi.

"I don't know…and you've been cursing a lot, lately. Stop it." The rabbit scolded.

"Hey, hey, hey, look who I brought!" Ondari called from over head, flying in a circle before landing in human form. Another figure leapt from his back and landed next to him. It was a tall, old man dressed in all white armor and all white robes. He had two long strands of hair hang from his mustache and then a long goatee. His long white hair was tamed and a part of it was pulled into a bun on top of his head.

"Tatsuo, the great white dragon," Kioshi said with surprise.

"Kioshi, it's good to see you again…hi Kioko," the old man said with a warm smile as Kioko in dog form stood up and pressed her paws against his chest. He stroked her head and accepted her happy licks upon his face.

"Who summoned you?" Kioshi asked with worry. Ondari laughed a bit before stepping forward.

"I figured we needed help, so I had the little fox kid summon him, but then we sidetracked," Ondari stated. Kioshi looked down and saw Shippo run up to Tatsuo and wave at him.

"I was wondering where you went," Shippo said to him. Tatuso bowed and closed his eyes.

"We were attacked. I'm sorry." Tatsuo announced.

"It's alright! I held my own!" Shippo exclaimed.

The group settled down for a much-needed rest, except for Kagome, who was waiting for Inuyasha to return. Kioshi stayed awake with her and they both sat next to one another. Kioshi knew she wanted to continue the conversation from the other night and so he figured she deserved to know.

"Himeko and I were planning on getting married after the war. I even had begun to build her dream home by the ocean…all by myself. She was going to release us from the curse of tending to masters. We could be our own masters." Kioshi explained, watching as Kagome plucked blades of grass and listened to him.

"I see," Kagome said.

"I left to check the area and I told Kioko to stand guard. When all was clear, or so I thought, I came back to the hut. Kioko was gone and Himeko was inside, dead." Kioshi said, his voice quivering towards the end.

"Have you ever asked Kioko why she left? Or did you assume she did because she always does?" Kagome asked, tears building up in her eyes. She didn't want to believe Kioko had anything to do with it and she also hated what happened to poor Kioshi. He was the ideal man for any woman.

"I did ask her, but she wagged her tail, panted with that stupid dog-look on her face and said, "But Kioshi, there was a pretty light and it was a firefly." I lost the love of my life because my partner wanted to chase a firefly." Kioshi said bitterly.

"But, you don't seem angry with Kioko,"

"I'm not, because that's how she is. I cannot be mad at her for something I knew about. Honestly, I should have stayed. Kioko is not to blame. I am." Kioshi responded with a loud and heavy sigh. He jumped slightly when he felt something warm and wet touch his hand. He looked to his side and saw Kioko sitting beside him with her ears flat and a saddened look on her furry face.

"I'm so sorry, Kioshi," Kioko cried. Kioshi glanced at Kagome with a small smile and she finally realized what he had meant. He couldn't stay mad at Kioko. No one could. Kioko transformed into her human form and hugged Kioshi sorrowfully. The rabbit-man hugged her back and planted a kiss on her head.

"Don't be. It's not your fault." Kioko said back. He looked up in the sky and sighed. It was his fault and no one else's.


	13. Chapter 13

Honor the Sleeping Demon

Kioko stood in a small pond. The water barely reached her knees. She had both of her hands pressed palm-to-palm and she had her eyes closed as she focused on breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth. The dog-girl had been in this stance for most of the day. The dragon warrior, who was the oldest and wisest of all the Zodiac warriors, told her that she needed to spend time in her element and learn its ways. If she could do that, then summoning water to do as she commanded should be effortless. Kioko felt her eyebrows furrow when she began wondering why her element was water. Water was cooling, calm and needed everywhere for life. She was nothing like that. Yes, she knew about floods and rapids and storms, but for the most part, it was calm.

"Hm?" Kioko hummed when she heard a plop. She opened her eyes and watched as the ripples from the stone falling into the pond scattered the fish. Kioko lifted her head and sniffed the air. When she felt the coast was clear, she closed her eyes and returned to her meditation. Kioko focused on feeling the movements of the fish, which were now used to her presence and swam in between and around her legs and feet. She heard another splash and opened her eyes, seeing the stone settling down at the bottom.

"Hello?" Kioko called out, now looking around alertly. She saw the tall form step out from the trees and immediately let her guard down when she realized it was Sesshomaru.

"You have not visited Rin for a while." He stated. Kioko looked down and saw that the demon lord grasped a small rock in his only hand. Why would he do that? Kioko lowered her hands to her sides and exhaled.

"I've been busy. Plus, Kioshi told me not to run off anymore."

"Heh,"

"What?"

"Obedient little dog, aren't you?" he asked her slyly. Kioko pouted slightly, but she kept calm.

"Aren't dogs usually obedient and respectful to their friends and masters? What's wrong with me being that way?"

"Any proud dog would take orders from no one."

"Oh, good. I'm not proud. Now go away…I'm concentrating." Kioko grumbled, closing her eyes and returning to her stance. Sesshomaru kept his facial expressions blank. Kioko was concentrating? What was next: Naraku showing up and vowing to fight honorably?

"You are truly pathetic. How is it someone as weak-minded as you can escape death more than once and yet a strong, proud dog-demon general dies in a fire?" Sesshomaru asked, throwing the rock he held into the pond forcefully and watching the water splash up. Kioko sensed the bitterness in his voice and she decided not to answer. She wasn't even going to react. She had to mentally coach herself to keep her breathing steady and face straight. Sesshomaru waited for a response, but he got nothing. This angered him even more. Kioko died and she was brought back because of the will of a small city that revered her as a god. She was no god. The demon lord snorted as he turned around and started walking away. Sesshomaru wielded a sword that caused destruction just by being present in a place and he also wielded a sword that could save one hundred souls from death. If anything, he, Lord Sesshomaru, was a god.

"Go away." Kioko said strongly. She was getting an overbearing and sickeningly bitter feeling from the demon lord and it was interrupting her concentration.

"I will not take orders from someone who claims to have no pride," Sesshomaru growled.

"Fine! Let me reword myself…I am proud, but I'm not arrogant!"

"I still refuse to take orders from you."

"Fine! I'll leave and you can stay here and throw rocks at the fish!" Kioko barked impatiently as she walked out of the pond, picked up her boots and began marching away. A powerful force grabbed the back of her armor and pulled her backwards before slamming her against a tree.

"I don't remember dismissing you from my presence. You are most disrespectful," Sesshomaru announced in a tone that was drenched with amusement. Kioko panted for a few moments, glaring up at him defiantly.

"You disgusting pile of filth!" another voice snarled before a second Sesshomaru punched the first one in the face. Kioko stayed in place and watched as the first Sesshomaru grinned before leaping into the air and disappearing in a dark cloud. Kioko glanced back at the other Sesshomaru and frowned.

"I left a little while ago. Naraku must have taken my form and…you are very angry." Sesshomaru stopped his original statement and blurted his next thought out very quickly. He had seen Kioko angry, but this time was different. It was like every cell in her body was pure rage.

"Which part did you leave at?" she asked him skeptically. There was one part that bothered her to the very deep depths of her soul and she had to make sure it was really him who had said it.

"After calling you pathetic." The demon lord answered.

"Oh, so that really was you blaming your father's death on me. Sorry that I'm so pathetic because I can weasel my way out of death's grasp and you father couldn't. Some demon general he was," Kioko spat irritably. So it really was Sesshomaru who had cut her so deeply. Now that she wasn't meditating, she was letting her emotions flow and it wasn't pretty.

"I will not let you speak ill of my father," Sesshomaru warned, his hand going for his sword. Kioko threw her hands in the air and let out a frustrated howl before stomping around in place and pretending to strangle a poor victim in her hands.

"YOU STARTED IT!" Kioko bellowed furiously.

"Watch yourself, pet."

"I…am going away, now." Kioko stated after deciding he wasn't worth it. She slipped her boots on and began walking away, only to stop when the demon lord landed in front of her.

"Please tell me you're really Naraku in disguise, because if you are, I won't hurt you as much," Kioko whined with exasperation. Sesshomaru lunged at her, but Kioko quickly grabbed the end of the handle of the sword, stopping the swing and bringing herself closer to Sesshomaru. She glared directly into his eyes and pulled him even closer to her face.

"You are a terrible soul! Terrible! I thought Naraku was bad, but you have surpassed him in so many ways that it makes my head numb just thinking about it! I cannot stand you any longer! The next time Rin asks why I haven't visited her, do the honors of telling her that you're the reason I won't come around!"

"You speak utter nonsense and you mean not a word you have just said." Sesshomaru responded calmly. This ticked Kioko off even more. She could feel the anger coursing through her veins.

"Goddamn you!" Kioko spat. Sesshomaru frowned when he felt something pulse. It was the sword he held in his hand, which Kioko also held. She finally let go after giving him a slight shove backwards. Kioko leapt away and disappeared into the night. Sesshomaru held his sword in front of him and stared at it.

"Why is it you pulsed?" he asked the evil sword, which remained quiet. He shrugged and decided to go get some rest.

"My lord, does something irritate you?" Jaken asked when the demon lord approached the fire. Sesshomaru placed himself against a tree and sat down.

"No." Sesshomaru replied. He closed his eyes and exhaled. He waited a few minutes and realized that he wasn't tired. He watched the fire and made sure Rin kept warm.

00000000000

Kioko sat down and crossed her arms, watching as the rest of the group chatted lightly as they passed food around to one another. Kioko felt a nudge and looked into the deep purple eyes of Kioshi.

"Food?" he stated questioningly, wondering why she wasn't in dog form and going around the circle to give everyone the puppy eyes. Kioko looked away and frowned.

"I'm not hungry." She grumbled. Every person in the group fell silent and glanced at Kioko with surprise.

"But…you're always hungry, Kioko," Kagome giggled knowingly as she motioned for someone to pass the dog-girl some rice. Kioko denied them all and shook her head in the negative.

"Uh oh, I've seen this before," Tatsuo, the wise dragon warrior announced, taking a soft stroke of his beard before taking a bite out of a fish he roasted.

"Really? What is it then?" Kioko asked challengingly, which caused Kioshi to give a small whimper. Since when did she ever challenge anyone to anything unless it was a game?

"It seems you are having troubles with the opposite sex. You have a need to mate and have puppies, but you cannot find anyone to be with."

"You are so wrong that I can't even begin to describe it," Kioko replied dryly, her face showing nothing but displeasure.

"I tried." The dragon chuckled.

"It's not funny! Shut the hell up!" Kioko hollered. She immediately jumped up and walked away. She couldn't shake the anger.

"Kioshi, will she be alright?" Kagome asked.

"If she wants to be alone, then we should respect that wish." Kioshi responded with a nod.

000000000000

"How irritating," Sesshomaru grumbled as he looked to the sky, which was now blue and bright. No trace of Naraku or any of his minions. Plus, the demon lord couldn't get any sleep at all the previous night. He could tell he was tired at the moment, but it was nothing he hadn't dealt with before.

"Rin, let's go!" Jaken called out to the young girl. She turned around and ran back to her demon companions. Ah-Un let her climb up onto its back and began following its master.

"My lord, as I'm sure you already know, there is no trace of Naraku anywhere. How is it you plan on killing him if he never comes out of hiding?" Jaken asked curiously, grabbing Ah-Un's reins and leading the two-headed dragon.

"Naraku will come out of hiding eventually. He relies too much on bothering people to remain hidden for very much longer. He will reveal himself and I will kill him." Sesshomaru answered simply. Jaken nodded and kept his comments to himself. He wished Sesshomaru wouldn't have been so vague, but because of Rin, the demon lord wouldn't go much into details. Of course, even before Rin, Sesshomaru never really talked, either.

"My lord, have you seen Kioko lately?" Rin asked aloud. Sesshomaru kept walking, but he could feel his blood boil.

"She is fine, Rin. She will come around when she has time." Sesshomaru replied.

"Oh, alright." Rin exhaled, her saddened tone completely obvious. Sesshomaru let out a quiet sigh. He hated upsetting her.

The demon lord led his group around for days, stopping only for Rin to eat and take a nap. Jaken would also do the same, but Sesshomaru was mainly trying to test something. He was tired, physically tired, but he could not sleep. Every time he tried to close his eyes, his body would instinctively jerk him back to consciousness, as if under attack. Something was wrong and he needed to find out what it was.

"My lord, look!" Rin called out. Sesshomaru turned his head from his resting place and saw the form of a woman drifting down the stream. Rin and Jaken tried to pull her out and ended up being pulled in by the current themselves. Sesshomaru stood up and flew over the river, pulling Rin out first and placing her safely on the riverbank before leaping down further and pulling the unconscious wind witch out of the water with Jaken clinging onto her. Sesshomaru placed her on the ground and turned around, walking back to his resting spot and sitting down. Rin tended to Kagura and helped made her a little more comfortable.

"Hm? What's going on?" Kagura mumbled as she finally woke up.

"You were drowning, so Lord Sesshomaru saved you!" Rin chirped with a smile. Sesshomaru frowned. Why did she have to use the word "saved?" Why not something else? He had to remind himself that she was an innocent child.

"He did?" Kagura whispered, turning to look at Sesshomaru, who had yet to move from his spot. Sesshomaru finally stood up and turned around, approaching the wind witch to ask her about Naraku. The demon lord finally noticed that she was half nude, missing the upper part of her robes. Kagura immediately crossed her arms and tried to hide herself as best as possible.

"Naraku…where is he?" Sesshomaru demanded evenly. Kagura smirked and huffed as she looked back at the river.

"Even I don't know where he is. Naraku doesn't really trust me anymore." Kagura explained truthfully. Sesshomaru gritted his teeth.

"Irritating." He growled. Kagura exhaled loudly as she fought with herself. Although she didn't know where Naraku was, nor did she know where his beating heart resided, she did know how to possibly track his heart down. Should she tell Sesshomaru and risk losing her life? Of course, she really had nothing to lose and she owed Sesshomaru. Maybe he could find Naraku's heart in time and kill him before the devious demon had a chance to kill her.

"I do have something for you, though…something that could help you find where Naraku's heart is," Kagura finally said aloud. This caught the demon lord's attention.

"His heart, you say?"

"Yes. Back at the mountain, Naraku discovered a way to separate his heart from his body without having any ill side-effects, so really, you want to find who is hiding and protecting his heart, not Naraku himself." Kagura said.

"That explains why he was so confident. Alright then, what do you have that could possibly help me?" Sesshomaru asked. Kagura reached within her torn and tathered clothes and pulled out three green jewels. She tossed them to Sesshomaru, who caught them effortlessly. He stared at them quietly, expecting an explanation.

"Those jewels will start to glow when you come in close proximity of Naraku's heart. The protector carries a blue orb that cloaks his aura and presence from anyone. Those green jewels began to react when close to the blue orb. You find the orb, you find Naraku's heart." Kagura stated coolly. Sesshomaru turned around and began walking away. Jaken and Ah-Un followed. Rin bid Kagura good-bye before following her comrades.

0000000000

Days passed and Kioko had pretty much separated herself from everyone. She traveled behind the group and kept to herself. Kioshi worried about her, but Tatsuo insisted that this was just part of growing up.

"Everyone has a time in their life when they become angst-ridden and dark, Kioshi." Tatsuo stated with a smirk.

"I know, but it's just so weird coming from her." Kioshi responded, taking a glance back at Kioko, who seemed to be tracking a scent on the ground.

"She'll eventually grow bored, my dear friend."

"True." Kioshi murmured, still not quite convinced that Kioko was fine.

"What the hell are you doing here, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha hollered loudly when his brother approached the group. Kioko's ears perked and she immediately growled defensively when spotting the demon lord.

"Be silent, half-breed, I have not come for you." Sesshomaru growled in return. He began walking towards Kioko, who flattened her ears. A low growl emitted from her throat as she backed up slightly.

"Oh, so is this the dog-man?" Tatsuo asked quite loudly, looking at Kioshi with a grin. Kioshi let out a nervous chuckle before answering.

"Yes sir…what the hell are you doing?" Kioshi hissed at Tatsuo, who walked in between Kioko and Sesshomaru. The demon lord stopped his advance and took in the tall, old man in white armor. Although he was old, he definitely didn't look like the type to be messed with and the aura that poured from him…he was definitely the dragon.

"I have come for your little pet. She has some explaining to do." Sesshomaru announced.

"She can explain right here in front of everyone…right Kioko?" Tatsuo asked, looking down at the white dog. Kioko turned her head and snorted.

"Wrong." She said.

"Now, now, Kioko, don't be rude. Tell the man what he wants to know and he'll be on his way."

"Or I can not tell him, piss him off and be on my happy way." Kioko remarked as she began walking away. Sesshomaru leapt and landed in front of her, blocking her escape.

"Kioko, please, just do it." Kioshi begged, hoping no conflict would be started today.

"Fine." Kioko grumbled.

"Ever since what happened that night, I have been unable to sleep. When you grabbed my sword, something pulsed from to you to me…what did you do?" Sesshomaru growled.

"Guess I grabbed it too hard. What do you want from me? I didn't do anything." Kioko said back unpleasantly. Both dogs stopped when they heard a snicker.

"Haha, sorry, it just sounds so dirty…continue," Tatsuo chuckled, waving his hand dismissively.

"You did something," Sesshomaru insisted.

"I didn't do anything! Maybe you did something!" Kioko snapped as she walked passed Sesshomaru, who went to grab her up by the back of her neck, but the white dog ducked out of his grasp and turned around, barking warningly.

"Calm down, you two. Tensions are high and this is getting too heated, too fast," Kioshi insisted as he stepped forward.

"Take one more step and I'll cut those floppy little ears off your head!" Sesshomaru snarled.

"Back off, Kioshi! He's mine!" Kioko barked in addition. Sesshomaru lunged at Kioko, who leapt onto his shoulder, only to get knocked off. Kioko flipped in the air and transformed into her human form, taking a stance and readying herself.

"Don't go killing him off, Kioko! I'm going to kill him!" Inuyasha hollered.

"I'm not going to kill him, I'm just going to kick his ass!" she said back as she ran towards Sesshomaru, who had his sword out and ready. Kioko grabbed her hammer and threw it, grabbing the chains and swinging it back the other way when Sesshomaru dodged. He slashed the hammer back at Kioko, who caught it and jumped.

"Asshole!" she hollered.

"That's not very nice," Sesshomaru responded with a smirk as he cancelled out her attack again. Kioko grew irritated and decided that she needed to step her game up if she was to even touch him. She wrapped the chains around her waist and let her hammer hang. Kioko clapped her hands together and then pointed a finger at him. Sesshomaru waited for a moment and heard something behind him. He turned and dodged a stream of water that lashed out like a whip.

"Wow, she's really been training with water," Tatsuo commented as he continuously stroked his long, white goatee. Kioshi nodded in agreement. It was quite scary at how fast she picked up on it. Sesshomaru leapt up onto a tree branch and placed his sword back on his hip. He swung his hand down and cast out his green whip of light. Kioko leapt out of the way and landed on her feet.

"So, you like to play with whips, do you?" Sesshomaru asked the dog-girl, who gritted her teeth. She jumped again to dodge another lash and tried to think of something. She ran at Sesshomaru, who was ready to end it right there, but stopped when she ran under him and summoned another stream of water. He barely dodged the next water whip she sent at him and they began fighting amongst the trees as Kioko tried to find a bigger water source.

"How stupid do you think I am? As if I would let you get anywhere near a bigger water source!" Sesshomaru hollered, blocking her off from a path to the river. Everyone else was now following the fight, commenting and wondering what was going on.

"Usually they're fine with each other. I wonder what happened," Kagome mumbled.

"Who cares? This is great!" Inuyasha laughed. Kioko leapt in the air, Sesshomaru following her lead and trying to keep her from reaching the river. Kioko grabbed the demon lord's arm and flipped over his head and kicked off his back, diving right at the river and landing directly in the water. Sesshomaru cursed under his breath as he landed on another tree branch, golden eyes searching the river. He wasn't going to go near the water. Kioko knew this, so she manipulated the water to reach out and try to grab him with tentacle-like appendages.

"Damn it all!" Sesshomaru panted, barely able to dodge them all. He was now floating over the river. Suddenly, a huge tower of swirling water drilled Sesshomaru directly into a tree. Sesshomaru tried to get back on his feet, but another wave struck him in the chest and pinned him back against the tree. Kioko was now charging out of the river and threw another wave before finally dropping to her hands and knees, panting breathlessly.

"You're mine!" Sesshomaru barked, only to be pinned against the tree by a constricting force. Sesshomaru looked down at the long, pure white scaly body of a transformed Tatsuo. He was in his smaller dragon form, so he had no armor on, but his scales were more than enough. His long snout rested right in front of Sesshomaru's face, long goatee and whiskers gracing his face.

"You have caused enough stress. I will not allow you to kill such a gentle soul." Tatsuo said to Sesshomaru. The demon lord growled as he tried to break free, but he was unable to move. Kioshi ran up to Kioko and pulled her to her feet and holding her steady.

"You can't overuse your element like that, Kioko! Especially in a battle!" Kioshi scolded, his tone showing worry more than anything. Kioko nodded and replenished enough energy to stand. She looked at Sesshomaru, who stared back blankly. Kioko could see how exhausted he was. There was no way she could have overpowered him unless he was fighting at a fraction of his capacity. Tatsuo was even able to sneak up on him and keep him restrained. Kioko shook her head, ridding her mind of all compassion for the demon lord. She stuck her nose in the air and stomped away proudly.

11111111111

"Quit toying with me and tell me what is wrong!" Sesshomaru demanded. The demon lord was unable to sleep, barely able to close his eyes and so patience was not in existence. He had been unable to track Kioko down for days. It was almost like she had disappeared. Currently, he was consulting a very old and very crude demon woman. She had been an adviser of sorts to Sesshomaru's father and his father's father, so when Sesshomaru ran out of options, he went to her. The only problem was that she didn't like Sesshomaru very much and tended to be less than helpful.

"Young demon lord, you are most disrespectful to your elders," the old demon woman responded dryly. She had a hunched over form and was dressed in tattered, gray robes with necklaces and bracelets made of strung-together bones of many different creatures. Her exceptionally long, gray hair was braded many times and pulled behind her. She also used a staff made from dragons' fangs to walk and poke people with.

"Only when my elders decide to waste my time instead of answering my questions," Sesshomaru said.

"Maybe this old, senile woman doesn't know the answer to your problem. You barge into my home and demand me to tell you why you are unable to sleep."

"Hmph."

"Now, start over and make sure you tell me everything you can remember from when this started."

"I was fighting a warrior, a Zodiac warrior. She grabbed my sword to block my swing and I felt a pulse," Sesshomaru explained. The old demon woman's eyes narrowed, her red orbs staring at the sword on his hip.

"Draw your sword, Lord Sesshomaru," the woman said. Sesshomaru did as he was told and held the sword vertically. He watched as she approached the sword cautiously, her eyes looking up and down.

"A Zodiac warrior, you say? Which one?" the demon woman questioned curiously.

"The dog warrior."

"Haha, ironic, no? Well, that sword you wield is disgusting and I'm sure your father is turning in his grave every time you use it, but it also speaks to me. Have you noticed anything about it?"

"It has been becoming more difficult to wield with every use." Sesshomaru stated surely. The woman nodded as she turned around.

"It seems your sword has been cursed, or actually, blessed and to keep itself from being completely purified, it passed most of it to you." She explained without any doubt. Sesshomaru lowered his sword, glancing at it spitefully. Although he could wield the sword and keep its aura under control, he obviously couldn't have its loyalty.

"I know the dog warrior a little more personally than the others and she is not capable of such powers. She cannot cast spells."

"Did she say anything to you when this happened?"

"Her exact words were, "Goddamn you" and it happened." Sesshomaru stated, placing his sword back on his hip and exhaling. It was almost difficult to stand up and keep his proud posture. The demon woman blinked as she looked down at the floor of the cave she dwelled in.

"The dog warrior has always been one of the more popular of the Zodiacs, plainly because dogs are friendly, loyal and would give their life for their friends. With popularity comes power…power that one doesn't necessarily have control over, but usually overuses it when arrogant."

"Kodai, I do not have time for your,"

"Do you believe in the gods, Lord Sesshomaru?" Kodai interrupted, her tone slightly irritated. Sesshomaru glared back.

"I do not bother with such things."

"You should. Some have great troubles believing that there are greater beings that can control the weather, the seasons, the very land that we live on…others are grateful to the greater beings for giving them these essential conditions to live. Without people to worship them, the gods would be powerless and unpopular. Without the gods to look up to, people would become overly arrogant and ungrateful, although, most tend to be that way anyway."

"Kioko does have a whole city that worships her. She saved them from a demon and was named the main god of that city." Sesshomaru stated.

"Which means she will obtain powers from time to time that not even she will know about. Those powers are bestowed upon her by those people."

"I see. So, to break this curse, I need her to," Sesshomaru paused, gritting his teeth.

"You need her to forgive you, Lord Sesshomaru, before you die from exhaustion." Kodai stated. Sesshomaru turned around and exited the cave, intent on finding Kioko and forcing her to break the spell, but he remembered that her scent had disappeared entirely.

"The rabbit will know." Sesshomaru said to himself, picking up on Kioshi's scent and closing in fast. He landed in front of the rabbit, who was picking a few herbs from a patch of grass. He noticed Sesshomaru's presence and faced him.

"Sesshomaru? You look awful." Kioshi blurted out, immediately spotting the demon lord's fatigue.

"Where is Kioko?"

"Look, you have to stop harassing her so much. I don't think you understand how…naïve she is. She doesn't comprehend why you're after her and it's confusing her."

"I'll be sure to send a sympathizing letter to her after she takes this curse off me." Sesshomaru retorted icily. He didn't care if she understood why he was angry or not. She was a warrior. It shouldn't matter to her.

"A curse? Um, Kioko can't do that," Kioshi insisted calmly.

"That city of foolish humans worships her as if she is some almighty god. She has powers that the rest of the Zodiac warriors do not have." Sesshomaru said back.

"Wait, wait…alright. I'll go get her. You…you wait here," Kioshi exhaled, placing the herbs he held down and leaping away. Sesshomaru snorted, but he remained in place.

It took longer than the demon lord expected, but he figured Kioshi basically had to slap a collar and leash on Kioko and drag her out of hiding to face him. The two warriors approached from the trees, the sun still resting above the horizon. Kioshi walked behind Kioko, his hands planted on her shoulders as he walked her towards Sesshomaru.

"He's not going to apologize, Kioshi. You're wasting my time." Kioko announced.

"Alright, Kioko. Whatever you say." Kioshi replied, smiling widely behind her. He finally stood her in front of Sesshomaru, who finally looked up. Kioko gritted her teeth and began to back up.

"Kioshi," she began, but Sesshomaru held his hand out to get her to wait. She flinched slightly, expecting to get in a fight, but she calmed down when she realized how desperate he was.

"I'm going to be at the river and you two can talk," Kioshi announced as he leapt away, deciding to search for medicinal herbs in the morning. Kioko crossed her arms, waiting for her friend to disappear before snapping, but she never got the chance. Sesshomaru immediately dropped to his knees and bowed his head.

"I just want to sleep." He said. Kioko cocked an eyebrow as she bent down, now sitting like a dog would.

"Um…what?" she asked curiously. Sesshomaru let out a breath and finally made eye contact with her.

"Forgive me for blaming incidents on you," he grumbled quietly. Kioko cocked her head to the side and thought for a moment. Even though it was forced, it was an apology.

"Alright! I'll forgive you…on one condition," Kioko said with a wide smile. Sesshomaru almost shivered. What could possibly be on her mind?

"What would that be?" he asked with slight dread.

"Get me something to eat. I'm hungry." Kioko yipped, her smile almost blinding Sesshomaru's tired eyes. The demon lord let out a breath. He should've known it was going to be something trivial.

"When you visit Rin, I will provide food for you." Sesshomaru said. Kioko transformed into her dog form and panted happily, her tail wagging so fiercely that she could've hovered in the air, using it as a propeller. Sesshomaru did nothing when she placed her paws on his shoulders and gave him a giant, wet lick before running off to join Kioshi.

"Disgusting." Sesshomaru groaned. Oh well. He could sleep now.

AN- Um…sorry it took so long. I've been going through early graduation and then I had my wisdom teeth pulled out and they gave me vicodin and I've been taking vicodin for a few days or more like a week now and I really, really love vicodin…vicodin. Anyway, I was on, you guessed it, vicodin, when writing this! And it seemed really awesome and cool at the time. Now I'm remembering why I decided not to write while drugged up. Oh well. It was fun. I'll be back on track with the next chapter, which won't take me as long to update. Peace out and thank you for being patient and not yelling at me for being slow or for giving you stale popcorn, even though it was popped two minutes ago.


	14. Chapter 14

Lists of Winning

AN- I don't care what anyone says, Charlie Sheen quotes are hilarious. And no, vicodin doesn't make me like romance any more than when I am not on vicodin. Vicodin just makes me enjoy things more than I should. Like watching TV…good times.

000000

Kioko sat patiently beside Sesshomaru, who was in a much-needed slumber. He was on his back, chest rising and falling slowly. He was also underneath a tree, using the shade to keep the sunlight from waking him. Kioko cocked her head to the side and let out a slight whine.

"Shh! Do not disturb him!" Jaken hissed at the dog, trying to get her to move away from the demon lord, but Kioko yawned and scratched her ear with her hind leg, ignoring the imp completely. She transformed into her human form and continued to watch Sesshomaru as he slept. Jaken thought it was odd, but Kioko was oblivious to such things. She reached out and flicked a red thread that kept his armor tied to his body. He didn't move. She poked the armor a few times and huffed. She was quite bored. Kioko finally lay down, resting her head on the fluff that Sesshomaru also laid on.

"Hm…haha, so fluffy," Kioko giggled as she snuggled her face into it. She soon fell asleep from being so bored.

Soon after, Sesshomaru woke up after feeling like he got an appropriate amount of sleep. He wasn't going to sleep through the entire day, wasting it away. He opened his golden eyes, watching a few clouds drift by in the sky. He sat up slowly, being wary of the presence next to him. He stood up and flew away, making not a sound as he searched for a place to clean up and wake up. He let out a long breath when he found a hot spring up in the mountains, secluded by large rocks and letting in enough sunlight to see. Sesshomaru checked his surroundings by listening and sniffing the area and when he deemed it clear, he began taking his armor and weapons off. He dropped his clothes and settled down in the warm water, eyes closing as he concentrated on the warmth. It felt good. He hadn't been able to relax for a long time. Even he needed a rest once in a while.

Kioko crept up the rocky path, making sure not to alarm the demon lord, who had fallen asleep in the hot spring. He hadn't meant to, but he was more tired than he thought. The water was so warm and relaxing that he couldn't help but to close his eyes and settle down. Kioko went on a little adventure and decided to check on him, but much to her surprise, he was passed out to the point to where no sounds really alerted him of anything. Kioko's padded paws left paw prints in the mud as she approached the entrance of the hot spring. The dog sat at the water's edge and leaned over, sniffing the surface. She could see Sesshomaru leaned against a rock, but he was nothing to worry about at the moment. She transformed into her human form and finally sat up. She waved her hand and caused a stream of water to spray in Sesshomaru's face. The demon lord jerked and leaned forward, golden eyes glaring in Kioko's direction.

"Um…are you ready? You've been constantly sleeping for days now and I need someone to play with." Kioko announced simply, resting her arm on one knee and crossing her other leg. Sesshomaru wiped the excess water from his face and glared.

"Go play with Rin." He ordered.

"But she can't play rough."

"I have never played a game with you before, so would I do it now?"

"I call it playing and you would call it fighting…same difference."

"Hm?" Sesshomaru stopped as he thought about it for a moment. They fought, but never really tried to kill one another. Was that just a game to her?

"When you were sleeping, I went for a walk…it seems those people who worship me have spread their beliefs. There's a whole section devoted to me." Kioko stated blankly, as if it happened every day. Sesshomaru looked up into the sky and thought for a moment. If the followers increased, that meant they bestowed more power unto her. What would that mean if she became a major god?

"So you really don't have markings on your body except for your face and wrist and ankles," Kioko chirped. Sesshomaru, during his thoughts, had stood up and began walking out of the water in all his glory. Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks and froze when he realized what he had done. He was naked…in front of Kioko. The dog-girl cocked her head to the side, face showing no embarrassment and for Sesshomaru's sake, no disgust or desire…just blank curiosity.

"Why do you say that?" Sesshomaru asked Kioko after regaining his composure.

"Because Kagome and Sango said that you had stripes on your hips, too, but I didn't think so." Kioko replied.

"I…why…they've never seen me naked, or even half naked, so why make such pointless assumptions?" Sesshomaru almost roared as he quickly pulled his clothes on, finding himself having troubles tying the sash. Kioko helped him out and shrugged.

"I don't know, but they were making some kind of list and you were on it," Kioko said with a shrug, backing away and letting Sesshomaru pull his armor on. Sesshomaru grumbled under his breath, wondering if he should ask more questions. It was burning, so he had to.

"A hit-list?"

"Um, no, not unless they want to kill Inuyasha and Kioshi, too."

"Who else made the list?"

"Let's see…Miroku, Koga, you, Inuyasha, Kioshi, Ondari, Naraku, Bankotsu," Kioko listed off on her fingers.

"All males…wait, so you were in on this?" Sesshomaru asked with slight disbelief. He didn't think Kioko would be into the whole, "Who Would I Fuck," list, but maybe he didn't know her as well as he liked to believe. Kioko scratched her head lightly and giggled.

"No, I mean, I was in the hot spring with them, but they started it. I just listened and I promised I wouldn't tell anyone…oops." Kioko looked down and immediately pouted and felt bad. Sesshomaru let out a quiet breath. There was a creature named Naraku slithering about and these women put him on the "To-Do" list? What in the hell?

"Did they place the names in order from…you know," Sesshomaru questioned as he made his way down the rocky path, Kioko by his side. She smiled broadly and nodded.

"Yeah, you were second on Kagome's list and third on Sango's." Kioko giggled.

"Let me guess, Inuyasha was first on Kagome's list and Miroku and Kioshi were first and second on Sango's list,"

"Nope. Koga was first on Kagome's list and Kioshi was first and then Miroku on Sango's list."

"I see." Sesshomaru said. He was second to that mangy wolf? Clearly, Kagome had no taste whatsoever. She would rather bed a filthy demon than a noble one? Of course, Sesshomaru would sooner cut his leg off before lying down with a human, so the feeling was mutual. What also interested him was that he scored higher than Inuyasha with Kagome. He expected Sango to be more attracted to Miroku. There was no surprise in that, but Kagome found him and Koga more…what? Attractive? Maybe this list wasn't a sex list. Kioko was quite innocent and never really could understand anything with depth. Maybe this was a list of who put them in more danger? Miroku was always trying to hand-rape Sango and Kioshi was basically a magnet for fights. Koga kidnapped Kagome and put her through more danger than necessary and Sesshomaru also had more than his fair share of scaring the piss out of her. But why did the lists only consist of males? Surely Kioko was stupid enough to basically hold Naraku's hand and skip back to camp with him and let him kill everyone.

"Ooh! Look at that butterfly! It's so pretty!" Kioko shouted from the silence, disturbing Sesshomaru from his thoughts. He watched as she chased after the purple butterfly. Sesshomaru's head snapped to the right when he caught the slight scent of danger.

"Get down!" Sesshomaru hollered, pulling his sword out to deflect an attack. Kioko quickly cupped the butterfly with her hands and froze, closing her eyes and waiting for impact. Sesshomaru's eyes widened when a barrier of pure white light was summoned and deflected the attack from her. Kioko opened one blue eye and checked her surroundings.

"Um, thanks?" she said to Sesshomaru, who shook his head in the negative, looking back in the direction of the attacker.

"Where'd you learn to do that, bitch?" a horrible voice hissed. Sesshomaru frowned when a rather large white snake slithered from the bushes, a black neckerchief tied to where it's neck would be. It coiled its body up and reared its head in Kioko's direction, forked tongue flicking.

"Uh, uh, the Internet?" Kioko retorted nervously, a broad smile on her face. Both Sesshomaru and the snake stared at her silently.

"It's something from the future. People use it to Rick-Roll and hack each other…I think." Kioko explained quickly, trying to remember everything Kagome had taught her from when she was hiding from Sesshomaru in the future. Again, dog demon and snake warrior just stared back, completely lost. What was she talking about? Was it some kind of weapon or torture? Who cared?

"It must be useful if you learned to summon such a pure and strong barrier with little effort," the snake stated, it's cold, black eyes frozen on Kioko. The dog-girl shrugged and opened her hands, watching the purple butterfly float away peacefully. The snake flicked its tongue once more before transforming into an older-looking woman, her white hair pulled into a slick ponytail. She had on white robes, like all the warriors, but her armor and her eyes were as black as coal in the night.

"Um, Kuroshi, I know you're here to fight, so let's just get on with it." Kioko stated, taking a step forward.

"I will fight you some other time, preferably when you have mastered water half as well as I have. I just wanted to see if the rumors are true or not," the snake woman said, her voice calm, but it just made her seem that much more formidable.

"Rumors?"

"Kioko the dog-god…heh, such a statement would've been hilarious years ago." Kuroshi snickered before transforming back into her snake form and slithering away slowly, letting her presence set in even deeper than when she was there.

"Her name means Black Death…but she is a pure white snake," Sesshomaru stated from the silence.

"She likes to get up close and personal. Her eyes are the last thing her victims ever see and she's killed a lot. There was once a rumor that just staring into her eyes for too long would result in death, but later I found out that staring at her pisses her off, so she just kills you." Kioko announced.

"I see." Sesshomaru sighed as he continued walking. Kioko yawned and decided to catch up with Kioshi. Now that Sesshomaru was awake and back at full strength, she felt that Rin would be safe without her for a while.

000000000

"You ran into Kuroshi, did you?" Tatsuo asked Kioko calmly.

"I'm not sure how to feel about that. She's either left or right and most of the time, it's hard to tell which it is." Kioshi exhaled with slight dismay. Ondari had finally returned from doing whatever it was he was doing. No one bothered to ask because no one wanted to know what the cock was doing…pun intended.

"Not to mention she is almost as ancient as Tatsuo over here! Hee, hee! What harm could that old hag bring to us?" Ondari asked with a wide grin, holding his pipe with one hand.

"Worse harm than what I would bring to you only for the point that she cannot stand you and I have more patience than she does." Tatsuo grumbled back at the rooster. Ondari chuckled as he took a few puffs from his pipe.

"So, the only warrior that hasn't been summoned is the boar or pig…what's he like?" Sango asked aloud, sitting down beside Kagome. Tatsuo and Kioshi glanced at one another as they tried to put it simply.

"He's uh…sensitive." Kioshi said.

"Very sensitive…and emotional." Tatsuo added on.

"Oh, I get it." Sango giggled.

"We need to get a plan on how to take out these other warriors. They'll be getting in our way when we try to finally kill Naraku or find his heart." Inuyasha announced demandingly.

"I can take Manabu without a problem and Takara is nothing…if Tora saved any for me," Kioshi chirped.

"I think it be best that I be the one to challenge Kuroshi in battle, not you, Kioko." Tatsuo insisted darkly. Kioko nodded and Ondari clapped his hands together.

"Nice! I've always wanted to see two old people go at it…fight, not have sex." Ondari shouted, only for his voice to lower when he realized what he had said. He saw everyone staring at him awkwardly and he looked down with embarrassment.

"Anyway…who wants Nezumi?" Kioshi asked curiously. Inuyasha raised his hand and so did Ondari.

"Anybody who is a great swordsman?" Kioshi added on. Ondari lowered his hand and Inuyasha smirked with victory.

"Anyone who isn't Inuyasha?" Tatsuo finally asked aloud, causing Inuyasha to holler a few curse words at him and causing Kioko to fall into a fit of giggles.

"What about Sesshomaru? She never got to have a fair fight with him last time." Kioko stated after recovering from her giggling fit.

"Sold to Sesshomaru! Next," Tatsuo urged Kioshi, who shrugged.

"That's it…wait, he has Hitsuji, the sheep," Kioshi continued.

"Oooh! Oooh! Mine!" Ondari insisted eager, pushing Inuyasha backwards to prevent the half demon from stealing this one.

"She's all yours, player. Kioko, what're you doing?" Kioshi asked, seeing that the girl had transformed into her dog form and was currently dragging her ass across the ground. Sango and Kagome let out snorts and shouts of laughter until the dog finally stopped.

"What?" Kioko asked curiously.

"Why do…why do dogs do that?" Kagome asked breathlessly.

"My butt itched." Kioko replied seriously. Kioshi groaned and hid his face with his hand.

"Hahahahaha!" Kagome howled as she fell onto her back. Sango laughed as well, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Inuyasha, do you do that?" Miroku quizzed.

"No!" the half demon barked.

"Are you lying?" Miroku continued.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Inuyasha bellowed as he jumped away to be alone.

"I'll bet his butt itches, too." Tatsuo stated with a grin. Everyone laughed and agreed that was the case.

00000000000

"So the Internet is a whole different world where Rick is king?" Rin asked the white dog with amazement. Kioko nodded.

"Yup! Oh, oh and there's this other guy who isn't as famous, but he has a song called 'Dance of the Manwhore!' It's addictive." Kioko added on, watching as Rin's already wide eyes went wider.

"What's a manwhore?" Rin asked curiously.

"It's a,"

"If you answer it, you're dead." Sesshomaru announced as he landed.

"My lord! Kioko said there's a whole different world where a man named Rick is the king and he rolls people to…what was it again?" Rin asked Kioko.

"He rolls people to troll them, whatever that means. I just know it rhymes." Kioko yipped.

"Rin, do not repeat anything she has told you today." Sesshomaru ordered calmly. Rin nodded and bowed with understanding.

"Love as large as brontosaurus, passion like a bleeding walrus; our love is real, it's no mirage! I want to lock you in my garage! Climb upon my trusty steed, later you will taste my seed!" Kioko howled with laughter as she ran and jumped in a big circle. Sesshomaru just kept his comments to himself.

"And there was a part where he said his father didn't love him and it reminded me of you!" Kioko added on, looking up at Sesshomaru. The demon lord just glared at her with the utmost hatred. She HAD to be doing this on purpose. There was no way in Hell she was this tactless. He was going to say something, but a scent in the wind caught his attention. It was the scent of the ocean, but they were miles inland.

"Something is wrong! Jaken, get Rin to higher ground now!" Sesshomaru demanded, suddenly flying away. Kioko could feel the shift of the water crashing onto the land and so she followed, knowing that she could actually be of some assistance. Sesshomaru was confused. Usually an earthquake, something the demon lord could pick up on, caused tsunamis.

"I know what you're thinking and it's not natural! It's Kuroshi!" Kioko shouted from behind Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru realized that she had transformed into her human form and was clinging to the end of his fluff. The demon lord nodded and began heading towards the ocean, but Kioko leapt down and transformed into her dog form, running parallel to the wave. What was her plan? Sesshomaru decided to follow her and he soon realized what was happening. The section of humans, the city that worshipped Kioko was the target of the rogue wave summoned by the snake. Kioko was on her way to protect her followers.

"Just stay out of the way, alright?" Kioko shouted as she ran into the city. She heard people gasping and calling out to her, to the Inugami, but she kept focused. Sesshomaru landed behind her, but he kept his distance to allow her the proper concentration.

"Aaahhhh! Get to higher ground! Get to higher ground!" a guard shouted from a tower.

"Please don't let us die, doggy!" a little girl shouted at Kioko. Kioko looked back at her and nodded. The wave came crashing, but Kioko let out a howl as a bright light emitted from her body as she transformed into her human form. She used her arms to command the water to stop. She pushed it back and transformed back into her dog form, growling when she saw the white snake wrapped lazily around a tree branch.

"Always have to ruin the fun, don't you?" Kuroshi asked. Kioko let out a vicious bark as she ran at the snake and leapt up. Kuroshi quickly uncoiled from the tree branch and caught Kioko's right paw, beginning to wrap and constrict the dog, but Sesshomaru would have none of it. He slashed the snake with his whip and caught the falling Kioko with his only arm. Kuroshi hissed and disappeared. Sesshomaru leapt away and placed Kioko on her paws. She transformed into her human form and growled.

"Whore! Aaahhh! I'm going to gnaw her head off the next time I see her!" Kioko howled angrily as she thrashed in place. Sesshomaru let her be for a moment before reaching out and grabbing her shoulder, shaking her a bit.

"Stop. You look like a fool when you do that." Sesshomaru ordered her. Kioko crossed her arms and huffed, pouting at the ground. She finally realized what happened and looked up at Sesshomaru.

"Y-You saved me," Kioko said with awe. Sesshomaru turned around and began walking away.

"I didn't save you, I just made sure that I was going to be the one to kill you, not her. You are mine and mine only. When I dispatch Naraku, you're next on my list."

"So I surpassed Inuyasha on your list? Yaaaaaay! Haha, I made it onto someone's list!" Kioko cheered as she ran after Sesshomaru and caught up to the demon lord.

"My hit-list. Normally people don't want to be on that list," Sesshomaru pointed out dryly.

"I'm just stoked to be on a list!" Kioko insisted with a bright smile. Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow. Could ANYTHING get her down? Well, obviously physically attacking her constantly did hurt her, but she was quick to forgive and forget. She was happiness incarnate.

"Kioko, I have a question for you, a serious one," Sesshomaru announced as he stopped walking, turning back to her.

"Yeah?" Kioko asked, eyes bright and excited that he was conversing with her.

"Have you ever been with a man?" he blurted out. He had to know. Why? He didn't know! Kioko was a mystery wrapped in a conundrum with enigma sprinkled on top with a side of riddles and it bothered the living Hell out of him. Nothing she did or said made any sense with anything.

"Um…right now I am," she replied with a grin.

"No, I didn't mean to be in the presence of a man. Have you been involved with a man intimately?" Sesshomaru repeated. Kioko frowned, as she thought for a moment, still not sure about what he meant.

"Oh! You mean like to make babies?" she asked him.

"Sure." He bit back, losing his patience. Kioko shook her head in the negative.

"No…have you?" she asked with wide, curious and innocent eyes. Sesshomaru didn't know what he wanted to do more at that moment…stick his blade through his head or hers?

"No! And if I was, for some anomalous reason, intimate with a man, a baby could not possibly be a result! How dense are you?" Sesshomaru finally snapped and Kioko was completely oblivious to his frustration. She smiled widely and giggled slightly and if she had a tail, it would be wagging fiercely.

"You are so silly!" Kioko yipped. Sesshomaru kept the growl from emitting from his throat. He took a deep breath and let all emotions go away. Kioko sensed his presence settling down and stepped forward. She wrapped her arms around him and looked up at him. Sesshomaru's face had gone white.

"What…what are you doing?" he asked her quietly.

"You weren't hugged enough, so I'm making up for it." Kioko snickered. Sesshomaru immediately glared at her.

"Let go or I'll kill you." He threatened.

"Do it! Do it, do it, do it!" Kioko urged. Sesshomaru tried pushing her away from his body, but she had an iron grip on his body. Next he planted his hand on her face and began pushing her away, slowly peeling her from himself, but Kioko wasn't going without a fight. Kioko leaned back and grabbed the demon lord's sleeve with her teeth, making playful growling noises while doing so. Sesshomaru stopped his assault and looked at her. Kioko shook her head and laughed slightly.

"I refuse to play these games with you, Kioko. I am not another dog to wrestle with. I am Sesshomaru, Lord of the West." The demon lord growled.

"Blah, blah, blah! Kick my ass! Come on! Tackle me!" Kioko insisted as she backed away, motioning for him to do so. Sesshomaru stayed in place and kept quiet. Kioko exhaled and reached out, going to slap Sesshomaru, but he caught her arm…so Kioko kicked him in the crotch. Sesshomaru let out a shout of pain, letting go of Kioko and taking a few steps backwards. Kioko cupped both hands over her mouth. She had meant to kick him in the knee, not there.

"I'm so sorry! Are you…you're hurt," Kioko was almost at a loss for words. Sesshomaru regained his composure and looked up, eyes red with fury. Kioko gulped slightly as she backed up slowly.

"Game time!" Sesshomaru barked, leaping at Kioko.

"Uh oh!" Kioko whimpered as she began running away from the enraged demon lord.

"What's wrong, Kioko? I thought you wanted to play!" Sesshomaru hollered as he chased her down. Kioko let out a few cries, but she kept running no matter what. Sesshomaru would calm down and lose interest eventually…soon…hopefully.

AN- Dance of the Manwhore…watch it. Be amazed. If you don't like being uncomfortable, then please, DO watch this video and then yell at me for telling you to do things. That would truly make me happy. Tiger blood!


	15. Chapter 15

The Spirit of the Forest

AN- I am so sorry it took so long to update, my friends. I was having such a hard time getting over this monstrous writer's block. I couldn't think of anything to write…but I hope this makes up for it and I hope I'm over the blockage.

00000000

"Sir, shouldn't we wait until morning to move through the forest?" a young soldier asked his leader. He was currently a part of a small cavalry that was to sneak up on the enemy while they partied and slept off the alcohol.

"Why? Because some old woman read us the riot act about destroying nature? Look, we are here for one reason and one reason only…getting revenge on the assholes that raided our village when it was defenseless! The savages we are after are just that…savages! What kinds of men attack women and children? This sneak attack will be clean and quick and if this world loses a few bushes and a patch of grass, I doubt it will even notice." The lead soldier spat as he strapped his armor on.

"I will go to Hell and back for you, sir!" another soldier shouted as the rest nodded and agreed. The first soldier who spoke against the whole plan swallowed hard and placed his helmet on before mounting his horse and waiting for orders. It wasn't that he didn't want revenge, but the forest he and his fellow soldiers were about to storm gave him a bad feeling.

"Let's go!" the leader shouted as he rode into the forest. The village of the enemies lay on the other side of the forest, but the men who raped and murdered their wives and children were camping out in the forest for the night.

The ride into the forest was quiet and eventually the men had to get off their horses and leave the hoofed creatures behind. They needed the element of surprise, for they were seriously outnumbered. They were banking on the enemy to have drunk and partied for their "victory."

"Surround and close in…and be quiet!" the leader hissed. His men nodded and followed his exact orders. He took the man who was scared of the forest with him. He wanted to show this young man that this was more important than some legend.

As they closed in, something seemed to bother the leader. He could smell smoke, like something was burning, but it wasn't the smell of wood. It was something else.

"Sir, they've all been slaughtered!" a fellow soldier shouted as he jogged to the leader.

"What? But how? Who did this?" the leader asked with astonishment, looking around and seeing blood, battle scars into the trees and the tents were torn apart, but there were no bodies.

"I don't know, sir. Do you think a demon got to them?" another soldier asked.

"Look at these marks! It's like they're claw marks! A pack of wolves, perhaps?"

"A pack of wolves could not…would not have taken every single body." The leader stated with a scowl. Something, a demon, a spirit, whatever it was, it took his revenge from him and his men! All of the soldiers went silent when their leader shouted a few curses before slashing his sword at a low-hanging branch.

"Hey, listen," one soldier whispered. Everyone stayed dead silent, feeling his blood run cold when the long, loud howl of a distant wolf sounded throughout the valley.

"Aaahh! Help meeeeee!" another man shouted frantically as something grabbed his ankle and pulled him into the bushes. Two soldiers jumped into the bushes with him, only to have their chests ripped to ribbons, the rest of the small group shivering when the third man's pained screams were heard.

"Retreat! Remember your training, men!" the leader shouted, knowing that his men needed someone to lead them. He gasped when he realized he was the only one left. He held his sword at the ready, his body shaking involuntarily. He kept hearing noises around him. He whipped around here and there, a shadow escaping from the corners of his sight.

"Come out! Face me!" he barked impatiently. He felt a presence behind him and he turned, seeing the silhouette of a person. He saw the eerie glow in the eyes of the creature and screamed when pain filled his body.

00000000

Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes as she continued to listen to Inuyasha's constant shouting. They were currently following a small lead on the search for Naraku. Kagome was positive she felt a twinge from the nearly complete jewel coming from this part of the land. Inuyasha, on the other hand, wasn't so sure of her abilities and was positive that she was imagining things.

"Kagome, we keep going this way, but there is no trace of Naraku anywhere!" Inuyasha called out from ahead of the group. The girl felt her eye twitch. Apparently, he didn't know when to shut the fuck up, but she kept silent.

"I smell food!" Kioko yipped as she tried to take off running, but she was yanked back by the harness and leash that was currently attached to her. Kioshi was tired of Kioko staring trouble and running off, so Kagome offered a solution and bought a harness and leash.

"Man, this thing is a drag! Take it off!" the white dog howled sadly. She turned her head and started gnawing on the blue leash, but Kioshi slapped her on the head lightly.

"Stop! If anybody is getting a drag out of this, it's me! Learn restraint!" Kioshi snapped at her.

"I'm a warrior, not a pet! Take it off!" Kioko barked as she sat down, refusing to move until she got her way. Kioshi begged and pleaded, but finally, he decided to just drag her there.

"I'm a warrior, not a pet…does that sentence sound familiar to anyone?" Miroku asked aloud with a wide smirk pulled onto his face.

"Sounds like Sesshomaru has gotten into her," Tatsuo stated.

"Oh no! Soooooo dirty, you don't even knooooooow!" Ondari laughed from the rear of the group.

"Shut up, you stupid cock! We're tired of your sex jokes!" Inuyasha hollered from the front of the group.

"Why don't you suck my cock, you little bitch! You're just mad that your brother is getting some!" Ondari shouted back. The rest of the group just sighed and decided to enjoy this amusing argument between two fiery smart-asses.

"That has nothing to do with you making stupid jokes all the time! You're not funny!" Inuyasha growled as he charged up to Ondari, who was striding right towards him.

"No one cares that you're a mama's boy! Do your job, stalk Naraku and shut the hell up! I wasn't even talking to you to begin with!" Ondari retorted.

"Get out of my face!"

"You need to back up before your breath pisses me off!"

"We all are very tired from traveling and we are all very tired from not being able to find Naraku, but that is no reason to start fighting each other." The wise dragon warrior announced as he finally stepped between them.

"Shut up, old man, before I run you through with my sword!" Inuyasha warned, reaching for Tetsusaiga.

"Yeah, you would like that, wouldn't you?" Ondari asked, an evil grin plastered on his face.

00000000

After the small, minor death match between Ondari and Inuyasha, the group finally moved on and had finally found some civilization. The sun was setting and it was slowly turning into nighttime.

"Inuyasha, we should just rest at the inn," Kagome insisted as she lightly massaged her temples.

"Or we can keep walking and make it through the forest by morning!" Inuyasha said back.

"Oh no, young man, if you knew this forest's history, you would not want to travel through it at all, let alone during the night," a woman stated as she slowly approached the motley group. She was old, as if she were older than the village itself.

"Spare me. I'm sure I've dealt with worse." Inuyasha grumbled with irritation.

"Why? What's wrong with the forest?" Kagome asked curiously, waving her hand at Inuyasha to quiet him.

"It's alive…I can feel it breathing." Kioshi announced, his purple eyes staring off aimlessly at the trees.

"It's true. The forest is a living, breathing creature on its own. Please, come inside and hear the ramblings of an old woman." The elder lady chirped, a small smile creasing through her wrinkled lips.

"Feh. Forests don't breathe." Inuyasha grumbled under his breath, crossing his arms and reluctantly following his friends to the old woman's inn.

"Go ahead and make yourselves comfortable," the old woman announced after closing the entrance and closing for the night.

"Um, you don't mind animals, do you?" Sango asked cautiously as she stroked Kirara. Her brown eyes looked down at Kioko, who was panting with her tail wagging lively.

"No, no. All living creatures are welcomed to my inn. I am Hitomi, by the way." The old woman chirped.

"What? Scared the forest will get you?" Inuyasha asked cruelly. Hitomi turned her head, her grayish eyes glaring into his golden ones.

"The last man to mock the forest was slaughtered, along with dozens of other soldiers. None of their bodies have been found. Not that the men of my village looked too hard to begin with. Once they hit the dense part of the forest, they turned back." Hitomi explained as she stirred the contents of a pot that sat over a fire.

"So what's the legend around the forest, Hitomi?" Miroku asked, completely enthralled with the tale of a killer forest.

"Why don't you and your friends settle down and get comfortable first? Dinner should be ready and it will be the perfect time to tell a tale." Hitomi suggested.

"Sounds good to me." Kioshi said, loosening the armor from his body and gently placing it on the floor along with his axes. Kioko stretched out on the wooden floor and yawned. She was ready to take a rest after being dragged around and doing some dragging herself.

"Is everyone ready? Sit in a circle and I'll pass bowls around so everyone gets one, even the cute little doggy who isn't that little." Hitomi giggled as she poured some noodles in a bowl and passed it to Kagome, who passed it to Inuyasha, who passed it along as well.

"You said that last night, dozens of soldiers went missing?" Miroku asked, much too eager to wait for a good story.

"Yes. He and his men were going to ambush enemy soldiers in the forest. I warned him to tread lightly and leave the forest in tact, but he insisted that revenge was more important than some trees and bushes. Some men from this village searched for the soldiers this morning and found a camp, or what was left of it and some blood, but as usual, no bodies." Hitomi said, passing more bowls of food around.

"As usual? The forest seems a little grumpy." Kagome stated with a frown.

"If you travel during the day and tread lightly, the forest will leave you be. If you travel at night and tread lightly, you just may get a glimpse of the forest's spirit protector, but if you are disrespectful, do not expect to live."

"Wait…spirit protector?" Miroku questioned.

"Sounds like demons to me." Inuyasha said.

"I don't think so, Inuyasha. I sense no evil from the forest." Miroku insisted strongly.

"Neither do I. All I can sense is its consciousness and its eyes watching us." Kioshi added on.

"Forests don't have eyes!" Inuyasha growled.

"Ever heard of speaking figuratively? Get off his back!" Kagome ordered.

"So, half-demon boy, you think you can walk through that forest with that attitude?" Hitomi asked, her tone freezing the room.

"Hell, I could dance and prance all the way through that forest if I wanted!" Inuyasha yelled defiantly.

"Do well to watch him when you travel tomorrow…his arrogance and pride will get you killed." Hitomi sighed as she shook her head.

"Hitomi, have you seen the spirit? The one in the forest?" Kagome asked.

"I have seen her many times and each time, she takes on the form of something different, but mostly she takes on the form of a young girl. I've seen her as a wolf, a bear, a squirrel, a firefly and many other things." Hitomi answered.

"Oh really? And why does she willingly show herself to you and leave you alone?" Inuyasha asked viciously.

"Because I do not fear her, nor do I mock her. If a tree is destroyed, I plant a seed for another to one day take its place. I assume she leaves me alone because I help her be at peace." Hitomi explained, her tone taking more iciness to it.

"Oh fuck me…where's Kioko?" Kioshi groaned, jumping up and looking around frantically. The rabbit warrior sniffed the air and listened for any trace of her, but she was gone.

"Kioshi, she was on a leash and harness and you still lost her?" Kagome asked with a sigh.

"Do not worry about your dog. She is kind to all animals." Hitomi announced.

"Kioko isn't really a dog, though! She's a," Kagome began.

"Zodiac warrior, I know. The Zodiac warriors are the combination between human emotions and nature's will. My mother told me they were the perfect beings, well, some of them were." Hitomi interrupted with a small smile.

"We are far from perfect, I promise." Kioshi insisted, strapping his armor on and hurrying out of the inn. He followed Kioko's scent, which led straight into the forest.

"Damn her!" Kioshi hissed.

000000000000

Kioko pranced through the trees at a decent pace, but she remained in her dog form. She could feel eyes watching her closely, not to scare her, but just to observe her. She found a quiet place and sat down, letting out a yawn. Her lively blue eyes scanned the forest carefully, which was hard since it was dark.

"A dog with fur as white and as pure as freshly fallen snow," a voice stated, just above whispering. Kioko turned her head and saw the girl about Kagome's age standing there. She had long, black hair that was slightly messy and a green kimono. Her eyes were all white and seemingly glowing. She was easy and clear as if it was the middle of the day, but the rest of the forest was black.

"Um…are you the spirit of the forest?" Kioko asked curiously. The girl smiled and in a flash, transformed into Kioko's double. Kioko wagged her tail and so did the spirit-dog's tail.

"I am a spirit that lives in the forest, yes." The spirit answered. Kioko cocked her head to the side, giggling when the spirit-dog imitated her.

"You don't seem so scary."

"Neither do you."

"Do you have a name?" Kioko asked.

"My name is Mika. What's yours?"

"Kioko! Hey, you want to play?"

"Sure! I know a great place to chase each other around! Follow me!" Mika chirped as she ran away, white paws pounding the ground. Kioko followed happily.

AN- Again, I'm sorry it took so long and I will make it up to you next chapter. I promise.


	16. Chapter 16

The Forest's Playmate

Kioko panted happily as she chased after her doppelganger. She had no clue how long this game of chase had been going on, but she figured it went through the night because the sun was now high in the sky. Her giant white paws pounded the ground, creating a sound of thunder to the small creatures that she happened to pass. Kioko stopped running when she realized that the spirit dog had disappeared from sight. She pressed her black nose to the ground and sniffed, trying to find a scent. Kioko also perked her ears, listening for anything that may tip her in the direction of the spirit dog.

"Hm?" Kioko hummed when she heard a distant giggling.

"Come on, don't give up now!" a voice called out pleadingly. Kioko ran off in the direction of the voice, which was now giggling again. This made her even happier. Games were fun!

00000000

"Damn it! This stupid forest just never ends!" Inuyasha barked angrily. He turned and looked back at Kioshi, who was staring up at the sky. The rabbit warrior took one leap and landed at the top of a tall tree.

"Hey Inuyasha, come look at this!" Kioshi called down urgently. The half-demon leapt from the ground to a branch and was soon at the same height as Kioshi. Inuyasha's mouth dropped open when he looked out over the horizon. The forest literally had no end. The village they had left was no longer visible. All they could see were trees, trees and more trees.

"This is insane," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Let's regroup with the others. It's best we stay together." Kioshi suggested.

"Too bad Kioko doesn't agree. She's the reason we're out here, remember?" Inuyasha replied darkly, following Kioshi back to the ground.

"Maybe she was taken to the spirit world. Perhaps we are in the spirit world as well." Kioshi announced aloud, reminding Inuyasha that this necessarily wasn't the dog warrior's fault. Inuyasha's frown grew deeper.

"If that's the case, shouldn't our powers be cancelled? Someone told me that the only beings allowed to have power in the spirit world are the spirits themselves."

"This is true. I've never been. The forest may have us tricked into a hallucination as well. Nature is capable of many things."

"I still think it's stupid,"

00000000

"Who are you?" Sesshomaru asked out loud. He heard rustling from the bushes and knew something or someone was hiding. Strangely, there was no scent to pick up on. The demon lord dropped his suspicions and maybe a little bit of his guard when Kioko in her human form stepped out.

"Are you lost?" Kioko asked Sesshomaru, a blank look pulled across her face.

"Hmph. I am not lost."

"Oh…then where are you?"

"In a forest that doesn't seem to end," Sesshomaru replied, looking up at the sky where the sun shined brightly. It was too damn bright…almost too bright to be the sun.

"Haha, soooooo you're lost?" Kioko asked again with a giggle. The demon lord cast her a cold glare.

"I just told you where I am, so I am not lost." He insisted as he turned to walk away and find a way out. Kioko giggled again and jogged after him to follow him.

"You're a silly one, aren't you?" Kioko asked with a huge grin.

"I don't care for your opinion." Sesshomaru answered candidly.

"You may not be fun to chase, but you sure are fun to talk to. I can see why Kioko talks about you."

"What?" Sesshomaru asked, turning around quickly, just in time to see the false Kioko wave at him before disappearing entirely. Sesshomaru's golden eyes darted from side to side. Was it an illusion? He let out a quiet growl. He hated being toyed with.

000000000000

"Got you! You're it!" Kioko yipped happily as she ran past the spirit dog.

"You're fast, but I'm faster!" the dog called back as it ran after Kioko. The dog warrior increased her speed and began running through the bushes and leaping over low-hanging branches. She stopped at a small pond and leapt into it, holding her breath and hiding beneath the surface. She watched as the spirit dog leapt over the pond and continued running away. Kioko lifted her head from the water and crawled out of the pond, shaking the water from her body before running the opposite way.

000000000000

"Shit! Where are they?" Inuyasha asked frantically as he sniffed the air to try finding his friends.

"Hm…I don't think it wants us to find them, yet. Maybe the forest wants us to do something?" Kioshi thought out loud, gently rubbing his face with his hand.

"I don't care what the forest wants! Fuck this dumb forest!" Inuyasha hollered, snapping a small branch from a tree, breaking it in half and throwing it to the ground.

0000000000

"Huh? What's wrong?" Kioko asked the spirit dog, whose head had whipped in the opposite direction, a low, angered growl emitting from its chest.

"Grrrrrr! An enemy!" the dog snarled, eyes flashing red as it disappeared to deal with the enemy.

0000000000

"Stop it, Inuyasha! You'll piss it off!" Kioshi shouted, grabbing the half-demon and throwing him to the ground.

"It's pissing ME off!" Inuyasha hollered back as he got back to his feet, only for his body to go flying backwards, hitting a tree powerfully. Inuyasha coughed as he tried to recover from the blow. It was like the tree was as strong as a mountain. It should have snapped from the sheer force he was thrown at.

"Who the hell did that?" Inuyasha asked, finally getting back to his feet and looking around, only to be struck in the chest by an invisible force. He hit the ground and groaned with agony.

"I told you not to do it, but noooooo! We have to go and be a dick! Way to go, Inuyasha! Now we're going to have to fight something we can't even see!" Kioshi snapped with irritation.

"This is not my fault!" Inuyasha insisted angrily.

"This isn't your fault? This isn't your fault?"

"No!"

"Are you kidding me? Everything's your fault! Get up and apologize!" Kioshi ordered impatiently.

"I'm sorry that this forest is annoying!" Inuyasha stated loudly as he stood up slowly. He waited for a moment and when nothing happened, he let out a breath.

"Foolish little brother." A cold voice shot from behind. Inuyasha turned his head and glared at Sesshomaru, who walked up calmly.

"Shut up!" Inuyasha spat in reply.

"Oh, you're stuck here too? You haven't seen Kioko by any chance, have you?" Kioshi asked curiously, knowing the dog-girl favored being around the demon lord.

"I ran into something posing as Kioko, but as far as the real Kioko that we all know and loathe, no." Sesshomaru answered, ignoring Inuyasha's grumbled insults. Kioshi chuckled a little bit as he crossed his arms.

"If you truly loathe her like you say you do, she'd be long gone. So, have you lost your followers as well?" Kioshi continued.

"They ran off to find food and I have yet to find them or pick up on their scents. Had I known this forest possessed this kind of power, I would have gone with them."

"We've lost our friends, too. It's like the forest wants us to be separated from our friends,"

"Yeah and then it sticks us with assholes we don't like." Inuyasha added on, his arms crossed and a scowl pulled across his face.

"All you do is complain," Kioshi exhaled as he rolled his eyes.

00000000000

"Oh no! Oh no, oh no, oh no! Ahahaha! Almost!" Kioko laughed as she cleverly dodged the spirit dog's tackle.

"You're really good at this, Kioko! I haven't had this much fun in such a long time!" the dog replied in a voice that mimicked Kioko's.

"Me either! It's nice to have a friend the same size as you so you can play rough fairly!"

"Yeah! If you can avoid me, you win this game, alright? So do your best!"

"Let's do it!" Kioko yipped, not knowing what was at stake. She began running away, hearing the dog closing in on her to tackle her. Kioko leapt in the air, seeing the spirit dog fly under her.

"That was close!" Kioko panted as she landed on all fours, running away again.

0000000000

Sesshomaru and Kioshi both kept silent. Every time either said anything, Inuyasha had something to bitch about, so they refrained from giving him anything to bitch about. He would occasionally find something to comment on, but most of the time, he was quiet.

"So, how are you holding out, Sesshomaru? Last time I saw you, you weren't too happy." Kioshi had to say something. The silence was killing his sensitive ears.

"Hm." Sesshomaru decided not to comment. The last time he had run into Inuyasha's group was the day Kagura had died. The demon lord realized he could not save her and they showed up at that very moment. Needless to say, he was upset, angry, but he didn't dare show it. Apparently it showed a little bit, because Kioshi knew he was a bit sensitive with the subject.

"Too bad about Kagura, though. She came through for us at her last moment." Inuyasha stated. Kioshi flinched. That was the most intelligent thing Inuyasha had said the entire time they were in the forest.

"You know nothing about her. Be silent." Sesshomaru said sternly.

"Make me!" Inuyasha barked. Sesshomaru had turned around and slashed his poisonous claws at Inuyasha. The half demon narrowly dodged and leapt at Sesshomaru, but Kioshi intervened and transformed into his rabbit warrior form. The large white rabbit caught Inuyasha in his paws effortlessly and placed him on the ground.

"If either of you so much as snap a twig, the forest will attack us. Save the fighting for another day." Kioshi insisted calmly. Sesshomaru had already turned back and was walking away. Kioshi transformed back into his human form and followed, hearing Inuyasha walking behind him.

"I grow tired of this," Sesshomaru stated, swiping a branch from a tree. He knew exactly what was to come next. He waited a few moments, wondering what would come after him. He heard a snarl and dodged the white dog that had leapt at him. His first thought was "Kioko has lost her damn mind," but he realized it wasn't her, for this dog had no scent and its eyes were as red as the fires of Hell themselves.

"I hear it, but I don't see it." Kioshi said, reaching for his axes. His purple eyes were fixed on the exact spot Sesshomaru stared at. Nothing was standing there.

"Tenseiga allows me to see beings who are not of this world," Sesshomaru explained simply. The white dog crouched before taking a giant leap at him. Sesshomaru ripped Tenseiga from its sheath. He wasn't entirely sure if Tenseiga could harm it, but it could block at the very least.

"Kioko?" Kioshi asked when he saw a white dog leap from the bushes beside Sesshomaru and knock him to the ground to prevent him from slashing the spirit dog. Kioko leapt and dodged the spirit dog's attack and then she ducked out of the way of Sesshomaru's claws.

"Where is it? I can kill it!" Inuyasha stated, holding his sword at the ready. Kioko gave him a few warning barks, turning back to Sesshomaru, who had recovered to his feet, golden eyes glaring down at her.

"You have some nerve," Sesshomaru growled.

"If you destroyed her, we'd be stuck here forever…stupid." Kioko explained as she changed to her human form, blue eyes glaring back.

"I see. So we really aren't in our world." Kioshi exhaled with defeat. Overall, he was happy Kioko was fine, but had she not wandered into the forest, they would not have been separated.

"What the hell have you been doing anyway?" Inuyasha asked Kioko irritably. Kioko opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She let out a small whine as she looked down.

"Playing games with the spirit…just when I think you cannot get any more naïve," Sesshomaru growled distastefully.

"Bite me! Had I not intervened, you would've screwed us all!" Kioko shouted at the demon lord, but he had tuned her out, looking away as if she didn't exist.

"You may have screwed us by taking a bet with a spirit, Kioko. Have I not taught you anything?" Kioshi asked with a loud groan, slapping his forehead impatiently.

"I can win this! I just need you guys to quit chopping down trees! Every time you do, the game resets and I'm starting to get tired! I almost had it this past time, too!" Kioko insisted.

"What nonsense are you spewing? This is the spirit's world and rules. They are designed for you to lose." Sesshomaru interrupted.

"Shut up, you three-legged piece of shit! You're the reason I couldn't beat it this last time! Stop it, shut up, sit down and try not to screw things up!" Kioko bellowed furiously. Sesshomaru grabbed Kioko's armor and pulled her closer to himself.

"Are you ordering me around? Repeat that last phrase and see how far you can get before you're mine!" Sesshomaru snarled warningly. The thing that angered him the most was her first sentence more than the second or third.

"What're you going to do? Bite my face? Without another hand, you can't really slap me." Kioko retorted with a slight giggle. Sesshomaru let go of her armor and turned, letting her think he was backing down…but he immediately slammed his fist into her face, catching her off guard. Kioko hit the ground, but she instantly got back to her feet and went to attack, but Kioshi held her back.

"You were asking for it, Kioko. Stop." Kioshi said to his hyper friend.

"It's not my fault he's an idiot! Let go!" Kioko ordered.

"It looks as if I didn't hit you hard enough, you disobedient lapdog." Sesshomaru announced haughtily.

"Tch! Make up your mind! You call me too obedient and now I'm disobedient?"

"Kioko!" Kioshi hollered, trying to get her attention. Kioko took a deep breath and relaxed, shaking her head as she looked away. The four stopped talking and looked up when the sky went dark. It was now nighttime, but no sunset had occurred. It was like someone flipped the sun to 'Off.'

"Look, let's all just calm down and take a rest." Kioshi suggested calmly, looking from Inuyasha, to Sesshomaru and to Kioko. They all silently agreed and sat down.

00000000000

Kioko opened her eyes and looked around. Kioshi was asleep. Inuyasha was asleep. Sesshomaru…his eyes were closed, but that didn't mean he was asleep. She moved slowly and steadily, trying not to make a sound. She took one leap and set out to find the spirit and finish the game.

"You are so predictable." Sesshomaru said, landing in front of the dog warrior softly.

"And you're annoying. Glad we got to meet. Now go away." Kioko grumbled sarcastically.

"My…aren't we nasty tonight? Of course, what else can I expect from an emotionally immature pup?" Sesshomaru sighed.

"You can expect my foot broken off in your ass if you don't go away now! I have a game to win and it won't show up if you're here!" Kioko insisted half-angrily. Sesshomaru smirked slightly and closed the gap between himself and Kioko. He grabbed her armor and was now inches from her face.

"You honestly think you can win?" Sesshomaru asked, an eyebrow cocked slightly.

"Yes! I can win! I know it!" Kioko said back eagerly. She wished he and Kioshi would have more faith in her abilities. Sesshomaru gave a slight nod before leaning forward and kissing her on the cheek.

"Catch me if you can!" he whispered before leaping away, transforming into the spirit dog Kioko had been playing with all day. Kioko sprinted after it, now motivated beyond all possible boundaries of motivation. Kioko smelled the water and grinned, calling on the water to help her catch the elusive spirit. The spirit dog barked excitedly. It was barely able to dodge the liquid tentacles shooting up to grab it.

"This is so much fun!" the spirit yipped in Kioko's voice. Kioko felt a burst of energy course through her. She was going to win and it was going to be fucking epic! She transformed into her dog warrior form while leaping in the air. She tossed her chained hammer and caught the spirit dog's right hind leg. The spirit let out a scared bark when it saw the giant dog warrior falling from the sky to land on it. Kioko landed beside the shivering dog spirit and simply tapped it with her white paw.

"Got you. I win." Kioko said simply. The dog blinked and transformed into a young woman with a gentle smile.

"You do win. I won't bother you or your friends when you enter the forest. I promise." The woman said. Kioko's massive tail wagged happily.

"Yay!" Kioko yipped.

00000000000

The next day, Kioko led her group of friends to the beginning edge of the forest. She placed her hands on her hips and grinned.

"We will be safe crossing the forest!" Kioko chirped.

"I'm proud of you, Kioko! You rock!" Kagome laughed in reply. Who would've thought that the skills Kioko acquired through games of Tag and Hide-and-Seek would have saved them all?

"Kioko, behind you!" Miroku shouted. Kioko turned and saw herself in a more serious life.

"On one condition…he needs to be more respectful," the spirit stated, pointed at Inuyasha.

"Fu-mmmmm!" Inuyasha's mouth was muffled by Kioshi. Kagome screamed "sit" and Miroku slapped a few sacred sutras on the half-demon to immobilize him. Kioshi bound and gagged Inuyasha and placed him upon Kirara's back.

"Yeah you don't have to worry about him! We got it!" Kioshi called out lamely as he waved. Kioko giggled and heard disembodied giggles before starting the journey into the forest.

000000000

Sesshomaru had found Rin and Jaken, both of who were safe and sound. The demon lord insisted they leave the forest before the spirit became bored and trapped them once more in its illusions. Once they were out of the forest, Sesshomaru sat down and leaned against Ah-Un.

"My lord, are you alright?" Jaken asked worriedly.

"I'm just tired." Sesshomaru replied simply. Truth be told, he had a horrible nightmare the previous night. He dreamt that he had kissed Kioko on the cheek. The demon lord grimaced slightly as he thought more and more about it.

"Disgusting…I hate spirits." He grumbled.

AN- Goddamn, I thought that when I graduated, I wouldn't be as busy…I've never been more wrong in my life. I have to deal with college shit. Moved into a house. Work at the theaters. Damn. ActionBitch is tired and is very sorry.


	17. Chapter 17

Betraying the Betrayer for Committing Betrayal

"Kioko, we need to talk," Kioshi stated as he approached his fellow warrior. Kioko was standing knee-high in the river, her pants pulled up to her thighs. Kioko was catching fish with Rin and Jaken. It was a hot day and the sun was relentless, so she decided to have some watery fun.

"Alone?" Kioko asked, her blue eyes filled with concern.

"Yes, that would be best." Kioshi responded calmly. Kioko nodded and walked out of the river. She fixed the legs on her pants and pulled her boots on, following Kioshi away. Kioko instantly stopped, as an uneasy feeling stirred within her chest. Something wasn't right.

"Hm? Something wrong?" Kioshi asked Kioko curiously. Kioko exhaled slowly, but that buildup of anxiety in her chest just seemed to expand. Kioko looked over at Sesshomaru, who was sitting beneath a tree, seemingly meditating or resting. The demon lord felt eyes bearing down on him and opened his own, seeing Kioko quickly look away as Kioshi called for her to catch up.

"Today is not the day to be easily sidetracked. Remember that." Kioshi stated sternly as he continued through the bushes and trees. His voice had ice in it and Kioko instantly knew something was definitely not right. Did something happen while she was gone and now everyone was going to blame her absence as the cause? That was the usual case.

"I suppose this is far enough," Kioshi finally said, exhaling slowly and steadily.

"Um…so what's so important? I mean, usually you don't mind who hears our conversations." Kioko said, lightly tugging on a strand of hair. She realized how long it was getting.

"This time I do. Seeing as Naraku has not made himself known for a long time, I am going to take this time to occupy myself with another problematic person."

"Me?" Kioko asked in a small voice. Kioshi snorted as his eyes closed, almost as if he were expecting that question.

"Not quite, at least, I hope not," he said back.

"What is it? This is starting to annoy me," Kioko stated with a slight growl.

"The night she died, you ran away! Why?" Kioshi spat back. Kioko felt her patience disappear. He was back at this again?

"Because I saw something and chased after it, Kioshi! I didn't see anything else nor did I catch the thing that distracted me!"

"Why did you think it was necessary to leave her alone?" Kioshi hollered. Kioko had enough. She had kept the truth from him long enough.

"Because she wasn't alone when I left her!"

"What? Who?" Kioshi asked, his tone now showing his confusion.

"I promised Lady Himeko I wouldn't say who. I'm not going to tell you."

"Damn it, Kioko! Tell me! You owe me this!" Kioshi shouted, taking a step forward as Kioko stepped back.

"I do owe you this, but I made her a promise and I never break my promises." Kioko said back calmly. Kioshi pulled his battle-axes out and held them in each hand by his sides.

"And I promised her that I would find out who killed her that night no matter what stands in my way and Kioko…you're in my way." Kioshi warned. He wished Kioko would get the message and just tell him. He really didn't want to hurt her.

"I…can't." Kioko grumbled. Kioshi let out a breath before leaping at her. He slashed his axes at her, missing on purpose to see if he could scare her into telling him. Kioko didn't take his gesture lightly, as she twisted around to dodge, tears flying from her fury-filled eyes as she landed a powerful fist right into Kioshi's face. The rabbit warrior let out a yelp as he stumbled backwards, but he wasn't done yet. He lunged at her once more, stepping his game up even more to ensure that didn't happen again.

"Back off!" Kioko shouted as she jumped backwards to avoid the assault.

"Not until you tell me what the hell happened that night! Kioko!" Kioshi screamed as Kioko took off running. She quickly wiped her eyes as tears stung them. None of what happened was her fault and she was forced to promise not to tell Kioshi. She heard the axes slicing through the air and jumped once more. Kioshi's second ax followed suit and Kioko twisted her body in the air to avoid contact with it. Kioko landed on both feet and felt her body freeze when Kioshi sent a gust of wind at her. It hit her body and slammed her against a tree.

"Kioko, I'm sorry…I need to know," Kioshi panted as he lowered his weapons to his sides. Kioko was also trying to catch her breath as her blue eyes glared back furiously.

"She didn't love you, so why do you care? Give it up! She's dead!" Kioko barked defensively. Kioshi held his axes up and charged forward.

"Leave her be!" another voice demanded as a white blur knocked Kioshi down, stopping his charge on Kioko. Kioshi groaned as he sat up, slowly recovering from the shock of the cheap shot.

"Sesshomaru," Kioko whispered under her breath. The demon lord stood in place, glaring down at Kioshi. How dare that rabbit steal Rin's friend, Kioko, away and then try to kill her?

"This has nothing to do with you!" Kioshi stated as he finally recovered to his feet.

"Hm, I suppose I could test my new ability on you, seeing as you want to fight." Sesshomaru said back. He was completely calm and in control. Sesshomaru slowly reached for the handle on Tenseiga and pulled it out, readying himself for an attack. Kioko's eyes widened. She knew exactly what he planned on doing. Kioko ran into Sesshomaru's path and held his arm with one hand while pushing on his chest with the other.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sesshomaru asked with a growl. Kioko looked up at him pleadingly.

"Don't! Please, just let him go!" Kioko insisted. Kioshi stood and waited, deep in thought. Sesshomaru never used Tenseiga in battle before and even Kioko said that it wasn't meant for harming enemies. So why is he using it now? Did something happen to turn Tenseiga into a weapon?

"You're willing to let him go? Even after he attacked you?" Sesshomaru asked. Kioko pushed even harder on him, looking up at him and saying nothing. She needed him to listen to her just this once. Sesshomaru stepped back and sheathed his sword.

"You should consider yourself lucky for having such a loyal friend…remember that." Sesshomaru stated sternly before turning around and walking away. Kioko followed him quietly, looking back at Kioshi, who stared back blankly. What had just happened?

000000000

Kioko sat with her legs dipped in the cool water of the small pond. Even though the sun had set behind the horizon a few hours before, the air was still hot and humid. Kioko could smell the rain approaching, but it was going to be a while yet before it actually rained.

"Knowing you, you said something insulting. Why else would he attack you?" Sesshomaru questioned in more of a statement tone than anything. Kioko turned her head and looked up at the demon lord, her eyes tearing up as she pouted deeply. Did he have to do this now? She separated herself from everyone for a reason. Kioko slowly turned her head back to the pond and kept her gaze down.

"And now you're quiet, so there has to be more to the story than what I suspect. I heard some of your conversation with the rabbit. It seems he blames you for the death of…Himeko? That was her name, no?"

"…" Kioko gritted her teeth, but she kept quiet.

"I assume you'll stop me when I'm incorrect. You claim that when you left, seemingly chasing after something, you didn't leave her alone,"

"Look, I don't want to talk to you or listen to you. I wouldn't tell Kioshi what happened, so why should I tell you? It isn't like you care or anything."

"No, truly I do not. It is odd that you two were fighting, though." Sesshomaru stated simply. Kioko stood up and grabbed her boots, turning around and walking away. Sesshomaru watched her blankly and followed.

"What do you want from me?" Kioko finally asked with a sigh.

"Answers."

"I don't have any answers."

"You are the sole eyewitness who saw the last person to be with your master alive and yet you won't tell anyone?"

"Exactly." Kioko stated simply. She wished he would let it die already. The fact that she had to keep the key secret from Kioshi almost killed her. She sped up her pace and noticed that the demon lord wouldn't let her go that easily.

"Hm." Sesshomaru hummed to himself in thought. She really was serious about withholding this crucial evidence even from him, someone who doesn't care to spread secrets. Kioko reached the campsite and sat down. Maybe he wouldn't ask if Rin was present.

"Why do you even care? Stop it." Kioko spat in a low voice when she realized Rin was already asleep.

"It isn't like you to keep secrets, but you are mistaken. I do not care."

"Whatever." Kioko grumbled as she wrapped her arms around herself. She didn't know why she was shivering, considering it was a warm night. Sesshomaru was staring up at the night sky, completely focused.

"The storm…it's going to be a bad one." Sesshomaru stated after a few moments of silence. Kioko nodded in agreement when she heard the deep rumbling of thunder miles away.

"What happened to your arm?" Kioko asked abruptly. Sesshomaru eyed her for a moment. Was she serious?

"You've been traveling with Inuyasha for all this time and never found out?" he asked back.

"I don't really listen much." Kioko admitted with a small smile. Sesshomaru kept from rolling his eyes.

"Inuyasha cut it off with Tetsusaiga." Sesshomaru said.

"Oh…really? Usually he can't even get near you,"

"I underestimated him that time."

"You sure did…wow."

00000000000

The next day, Kioko decided to go off by herself. The storm was just overhead and so she found a cave to take shelter in. She lightly tossed her hammer and caught it, hearing the rattling of the chains and thinking about what she was going to do next.

The storm began raging outside and Kioko didn't feel like going back to Inuyasha's group. She feared that every time she would look at Kioshi, she would die a little on the inside. The pain in her heart grew and with each day, it got worse and worse. Plus, after hearing him pour his heart out to Kagome a while back, it made Kioko feel even worse, if at all possible. Little did she know, Sesshomaru was watching her every facial feature and body twitch.

"Your refusal to kill isn't a choice of nobility…it's the fear. You've killed before, a long time ago, possibly on accident and it devastated you." Sesshomaru stated, walking into the cave. He just wanted to be able to sit down and avoid the rain. Rin and Jaken had already taken shelter a few hours ago while Sesshomaru was looking for clues. Kioko tensed at his statement and exhaled loudly. Fine.

"I…I killed Master Himeko." Kioko stated with a quiver in her voice. Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow.

"There's a difference between killing someone and being responsible for them dying. Which is it?" Sesshomaru demanded.

"I killed her with my own hands. If Kioshi ever found out, he'd never forgive me. Not that he already doesn't," Kioko said in a small voice.

"Why did you kill her? Jealousy?"

"No! She was…not faithful! And she was a liar!" Kioko snarled as she crossed her arms.

111111111

Kioko stood at the bottom of the steps to a temple where Himeko was hiding out. The dog-girl was trying to fight away the boredom eating at her, but she was fighting a losing battle. Kioko let out a loud breath and heard footsteps approaching. She immediately tensed up and grew serious.

"I am here to speak with Himeko," a man stated. He was obviously a young lord, judging by his colorful clothing and beautiful armor.

"Too bad. She's asleep." Kioko replied shortly.

"Kioko, let him in! He's part of the plan to stop this fighting!" Himeko called out from the temple doors. Kioko pouted slightly, but stepped aside and let the man pass. He couldn't run up the steps fast enough. Kioko yawned, as she grew bored again. She transformed into her dog form and pranced up the steps, using her nose to slide open the temple doors.

"Oh, Kioko!" Himeko gasped, covering herself with her clothes that lay on the floor. The young man did the same and glared at Kioko angrily. The dog was confused. Wasn't Himeko supposed to be Kioshi's? Who the hell was this guy?

"Um, Master…I don't understand," Kioko said softly.

"Look, you have to hear me out, it was not my intentions for this to happen, but," Himeko tried to explain, but the other man held his arm out in front of her to silence her.

"She was mine to marry before Kioshi ever existed!" the man stated coldly. Kioko looked back at Himeko and lowered her head.

"You gave yourself up? After all that time and energy we spent trying to hide you?" Kioko asked with disbelief. Himeko quickly pulled her robes back on and walked over to Kioko, but the dog backed up and let out a warning growl. She never once betrayed anyone and she did not take betrayal lightly.

"Kioko, this war won't end, but I can at least banish the fighting from this side of the land." Himeko insisted.

"Look, this dog obviously doesn't get it…kill her, Himeko and I will keep you safe from your father." The young lord ordered.

"I will not kill them. I can revert them to the forms I found them in, but I won't kill them." Himeko said back.

"Then do it," he growled. Kioko transformed into her human form and watched as Himeko walked to the giant statue of Buddha. She opened a book and exhaled.

"I'm sorry, Kioko," she said.

"What about Kioshi? He's still out there! And the other warriors! You'll get them killed!" Kioko shouted, shoving the man to the floor when he tried to restrain her. Himeko whipped around, her face furious and her eyes blazing.

"Kioko, you will obey me! Stand down and don't move!" Himeko yelled. Kioko stared back furiously

"I won't let you," Kioko growled. Himeko pulled a dagger from her robes and charged at Kioko.

"I'm sorry, Kioko! It's the only way!" Himeko shouted. Kioko grabbed her wrist, twisted her arm and tried to disarm her, but the blade plunged into Himeko's chest. Kioko pushed her body to the floor and panted, hearing the young lord running from the temple. Kioko transformed into her dog form and raced after him, smelling Kioshi not too far away. Kioko charged after the man and tackled him, grabbing his throat with her jaws and squeezing until he stopped struggling and grabbing at her fur. Kioko had to dispose of his body.

111111111111

"And, yeah, that's what happened. Not too long after that, Himeko's father found a priestess to read the spell from the book and change us into our statue forms. So we never got to be free and ended up back in the same place anyway." Kioko finished the story with a sigh. Sesshomaru frowned as he let her words run through his head.

"She wanted you to kill her…it's obvious." Sesshomaru finally said.

"Doesn't matter. Kioshi would slaughter me if he ever found out." Kioko whined with a shiver.

"She was being forced to marry someone she didn't love, she was being torn away from the one she loved, her father apparently knew of her whereabouts and she had lost hope in stopping the war. She wanted to die. You did her a favor." Sesshomaru stated.

"Please, don't tell Kioshi," Kioko pleaded with the demon lord. Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow once more, but he kept his eyes on her blue ones, which were watering at this point. He said nothing. Kioko now had tears flowing down her face as she stood up and grabbed her armor.

"You're going to tell him, aren't you?" she asked quietly.

"I never said I wouldn't," the demon lord responded. Kioko tensed up, but put her armor back on and exhaled loudly.

"Well, this is your chance to get me killed, so of course you'll take it."

"I kill my own prey,"

"…" Kioko shook her head, but she leapt out into the pouring rain anyway. She ran off into the forest, planning on disappearing for a while.

00000000

Kioshi finally found the demon lord's scent and followed it speedily. It had been days since anyone had last seen Kioko and the rabbit was worried she had gotten into trouble. He also wanted to apologize to her for being out of the line. Kioshi found Sesshomaru and strangely enough, the demon lord seemed to be waiting for his arrival. Kioshi transformed into his human form and frowned.

"Have you seen Kioko? She's been gone for a few days from our presence." Kioshi asked. Sesshomaru stared back and smirked.

"I have seen her, but each time I approach, she runs away." Sesshomaru said.

"What did you do to her?" Kioshi asked angrily, thinking the demon lord had invented a new game and it included hurting the dog-girl…not that he had much room to talk.

"Nothing painful. It seems she is more worried about you than me, though."

"Me? I haven't done anything to her…lately."

"Rabbit, the dog feels bad for relieving you of your love," Sesshomaru stated strongly.

"Um, what did you just say?" Kioshi asked, his blood running cold. Sesshomaru looked Kioshi in the eyes before speaking. The two stared each other down, Kioshi more seriously than Sesshomaru. What was going on?

AN- There is a sequel to Dance of the Manwhore! It's called Quest of the Manwhore! Watch it! Watch both of them! Do it!


	18. Chapter 18

Hell of a Time

"Hm?" Kioshi woke from his deep sleep, groggy and slightly disoriented, but something caught his attention…something bad. The rabbit warrior stood up and listened intently, inhaling deeply through his nose and focusing on everything surrounding him and beyond.

"BITCH!" a voice bellowed vehemently as an explosion of fire enveloped Kioshi's surroundings. The rabbit immediately grabbed his axes, focusing his energy and using gusts of wind to put the flames out.

"What's going on?" Kioshi asked, seeing Inuyasha landing a few feet away, sword drawn and an enraged expression on his face.

"I don't know who she is, but she started a fight with me and she's pissing me off!" Inuyasha answered, turning and looking at Kioshi, who gasped slightly. On Inuyasha's right cheek was an obvious burn. His skin was welted and blackened and what disturbed Kioshi the most was the shape of the burn…it was a smiley face.

"On the contrary, you started a fight with me. All I did was call your mom a bitch and your dad a fucking whore…or something like that." A smug voice sounded calmly as a tall girl walked onto the scene dressed in black jeans and a black shirt that said, "I'm not rude. You're insignificant." She also had combat boots that made a slight thud with every step she made. Her black, spiky hair with red tips added to whatever intimidation she already gave off and the sunglasses covering her eyes denied any hopes for sympathy.

"Inuyasha, wait! Hold on! Who is she?" Kioshi inquired, trying to get Inuyasha to take a deep breath. Maybe there was just a misunderstanding…not that the demonic girl looked understanding at the very least.

"A dead bitch walking!" Inuyasha growled. He was too angered to calm down and answer questions.

"The name is Shana and I'm your new boss. You, dog boy, shut the hell up before you even start," the young girl growled sternly. She was definitely demanding. Kioshi realized that she was only half-demon, but her aura was horribly overwhelming for being only half.

"Look, let's just…oh boy," Kioshi sighed hopelessly as Inuyasha leapt at Shana. She merely leaned to her right, grabbed Inuyasha's wrist and threw him into a tree. She smirked as her head turned to Kioshi.

"Next?" she chirped.

"I do not wish to fight. I am just confused with what is happening. I just woke up."

"You're no fun." Shana grumbled, quickly bending forward and dodging the huge blade of Tetsusaiga. Next she kicked a blue flame and struck Inuyasha in the leg.

"You dumbass," she sighed as she walked forward, grabbing Inuyasha by the hair and lifting his face up. She placed her finger on his face, stopping when she felt the cold blade against the back of her neck.

"Let go of him now!" Kioshi demanded. Shana's leg quickly lashed out and struck Kioshi in the stomach. The rabbit tried to recover, hearing Inuyasha's pained cries as the smell of his skin burning filled his nostrils.

"This might just be my masterpiece…uh oh, time to go." Shana dropped Inuyasha and was gone in a flash of red light. Kioshi walked over to Inuyasha and gasped once more. Now burned into Inuyasha's left cheek was a crudely drawn penis.

000000000

"Um, Inuyasha, what happened to your face?" Kagome asked curiously as she approached the group, her bag filled with new treats to share. Kioshi glanced around, hoping that Kioko might be enticed by food to show up, but alas, not even a small hint of the dog warrior carried in the wind.

"Hmph." Inuyasha huffed and decided which way to turn his head. Either way, Kagome was bound to laugh at him. Instead, the human girl walked up to him and stared pleadingly.

"Are you going to be alright?" she asked him.

"Yeah, it's just a flesh wound." Inuyasha replied, now feeling a little better. His ears twitched when he heard someone approaching and turned around. Sesshomaru had arrived.

"It's time to settle…what did you do to your face?" Sesshomaru couldn't help himself from blurting that question out. With a smiley face on one cheek and a penis on the other, it was too much to not ignore.

"I didn't do shit! Some other bitch did!" Inuyasha spat, pointing at his face furiously.

"You allowed some strange woman to burn crude pictures on your face? Hmph, if anything, it's an improvement from the usual."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"Seriously, Sesshomaru? Are you going to start throwing low blows now?" Kagome asked the demon lord fearlessly as she stepped forward. Shippo left her shoulder and ran to find somewhere safer to be.

"Kagome, stay back! Apparently the prick wants to start a fight, so I'll give him one!" Inuyasha charged after his older brother, sword drawn and ready to end this rivalry once and for all. Sesshomaru merely leaned and dodged the blade effortlessly, not even bothering to draw his own sword yet.

"Although I can see the main reason for Father bequeathing Tetsusaiga to you, I cannot help but to think there is some other reason behind it. You can't even fight decently." Sesshomaru stated as he easily dodged another swing.

"Yeah, that's not what your left arm is thinking right about now, asshole!" Inuyasha spat back with a smirk. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and he drew Tenseiga.

"This will end today!" Sesshomaru announced as he flew at his brother. Inuyasha charged back, sword at the ready. The two brothers' swords clashed together and a flash of light suddenly engulfed them. Where the brothers once stood was now a swirling black hole.

"What's that?" Kagome asked worriedly.

"Hahahaha! They both sucked so bad that when they came together a black hole was created! And here I thought they both blew," a wicked voice stated amusingly. Kagome and the others turned and saw someone sitting on the lowest branch of a nearby tree. Kioshi noticed the spiky hair and immediately drew his axes, stepping forward and glaring.

"It's you! What is your purpose here?" Kioshi asked demandingly.

"Didn't know I needed one of those." Shana retorted quickly.

"Who is that?" Sango asked, reaching for her weapon.

"She's the one who injured Inuyasha's face," Kioshi answered.

"Say what? Nah, I just made it look prettier, I swear." Shana insisted coolly, but her grin gave away her true intentions.

"You won't be smiling after I pound you into the ground!" Kioshi shouted, now getting irritated with her calmness.

"I'm sure your girlfriend wouldn't appreciate you cheating on her like that," Shana snipped. Kioshi had enough. He lunged at Shana, axes at the ready.

"Die!" the rabbit warrior cried out, but Shana's image flickered out and she disappeared entirely. Kioshi landed on the branch and kept alert.

"Kioshi! Beneath you!" Kagome called out, but there was really no reason to worry. Shana just stood against the tree, arms crossed. She acted as if she were in no mood to fight…even if she was saying horrible, instigating things.

"I don't know why, but I thought you'd be better than Kioko," Shana said, not making any sudden movements. Kioshi landed in front of her and glared.

"Where…is…Kioko?" he asked her through his gritted teeth.

"Bend over and I'll show you," Shana chuckled, now looking ready for a fight. She leapt out of Kioshi's way and let him slice the tree she had stood against in half. Kioshi transformed into his rabbit warrior form and turned, facing Shana.

"I'll ask you one more time…where is Kioko?" the rabbit questioned, his voice calm, but the anger was hard to miss. Shana stared back soullessly, her smirk no longer on her face. The sunglasses she still wore made it hard to tell where exactly she was looking.

"Ask all you want, you will get no straight answers from me…except for the one I just gave you." The spiky-haired girl said back, arms now crossed again. Kioshi charged and Shana leapt straight up in the air, but Kioshi did so as well. With his powerful legs he was able to leap above Shana and knock her back down to the ground. Shana landed on her feet and took a powerful stance. She caught the giant rabbit warrior with no problem and tossed him over her head and into the black hole that was generated by the dog brothers' swords clashing.

"And here we go," Shana chuckled as she ran towards the black hole, jetting blue flames out of her feet to increase her speed as she leapt into the swirling black abyss.

"Damn it! Kagome, where are the other warriors? Ondari? Tatsuo?" Sango asked with agitation.

"I don't know. They just left." Kagome answered. She climbed upon Kirara with Sango and they flew into the black hole after the fighters.

Shana had now joined in a four-way, free-for-all match along with Kioshi, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. Everyone was fighting everyone, except Kioshi and Inuyasha kept their attacks aimed at everyone but each other. They realized they were allies and wouldn't dare stab the other in the back. Not to mention the small fact that they were fighting in a huge, mountainous area. So the black hole actually transported them to a better place to fight, essentially.

"You will do well to stay out of my way, half-breed wench. The other half-breed and the rabbit are both mine." Sesshomaru stated to Shana, who was going to ignite something on fire, but his demand got her attention…and not the good attention.

"Heh, do you want a piece of this? If so, just ask nicely instead of pissing me off. Trust me, you won't like me when I'm angry." Shana chirped sarcastically.

"I don't care who you are or why you are here. Just stay out of my way." Sesshomaru responded, turning around to finish his battle with Inuyasha alone. Sesshomaru felt something hot and powerful strike him in the back and almost caused him to fall to his knees. The demon lord spun around and glared at Shana, who was idly tossing a small blue fireball up and down.

"What? I didn't do it." Shana said seriously.

"You dare hit me?" Sesshomaru growled warningly.

"And what the hell are you going to do about it, pussy? Are you going to hit me back? Ha! You won't do it!" Shana laughed in reply.

"Do not tempt me, wench,"

"Come at me, bro! You won't do it!" Shana taunted as Sesshomaru lunged at her and flung a fist at her, but Shana caught his one and only fist with no issues. Shana's grin appeared once more, even more malicious than ever.

"My turn," she chuckled, raising her left fist before slamming it into Sesshomaru's face. Next, she kicked his legs out from underneath him and sent him onto his back. Sesshomaru was completely stunned at what had just happened. Shana bent down and grabbed both of his ankles with each hand and stared blankly.

"You're both dead!" Inuyasha hollered. Shana giggled and Sesshomaru tried to get free, but he could not.

"No, wait," Sesshomaru called out to his brother, who was going in for a close-range attack, but Shana had already lifted the demon lord off the ground and swung him into Inuyasha, knocking them both back as she dodged Kioshi's blades and focused her attention on him for the moment being. Kioshi summoned a gust of wind and blew Shana backwards as he charged her for the kill. Shana flipped in the air, holding her hands close together as a small, blue flame sparked to life. Kioshi was unable to dodge or move in the air as Shana ripped her hands apart, holding two flames before she began flinging numerous flames at the rabbit warrior, who could do nothing except use his arms and axes to help block any severe hits to his face.

"You're both worthless and in my way!" Sesshomaru spat as he stepped forward, waving his hand and summoning a green whip of light and slicing into Shana's back. He watched with pleasure as her body fell forward and hit the ground motionless...then it disappeared.

"No fucking way! Damn it!" Inuyasha groaned when he heard clapping coming from behind the entire group. His golden eyes spotted Shana, who was sitting with a beer in her hand.

"Good show, ladies. That's an assumption of what would happen if you could actually land a blow on me. Hey Sesshomaru, I thought you were exceptional at blowing, dude? I am thoroughly disappointed." Shana taunted as she finished her bottle of beer and began walking towards the others. She stopped walking and her head whipped to the right. A sacred arrow froze in mid air as she caught it between two fingers. She melted it away and looked up at Kagome, who was shocked at how fast the demon girl's reaction was. Shana reached up and took her sunglasses off her face, revealing her cold, boredom-filled eyes. They were as golden as Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's.

"If you would stop attacking and tell us what you want, we can resolve this peacefully!" Kagome called down to the spiky-haired half demon, but Shana was not in a resolving mood after that attempt to kill her and mount her head on the fucking wall like a trophy.

"Fuck you, whore!" Shana barked in reply, flinging the beer bottle and nailing Kagome in the head and knocking the girl out.

"You're...you'll regret that!" Inuyasha howled, charging once more at Shana, who simply stood still and kicked Inuyasha in the jaw when he got close enough. She didn't understand why he would get in so close when his blade was long enough for a middle-ranged battle. Sesshomaru and Kioshi double-teamed Shana and the demon lord was able to swipe her sunglasses from her hand and crush them to add to the insult.

"Sesshomaru, I don't think now is the time to taunt the person who has been single-handedly kicking our asses." Kioshi suggested with a groan as Shana distanced herself from the two and remained in a passive stance.

"She got lucky...that is all." Sesshomaru stated sternly and in a tone that said, "My word is law, shut the fuck up."

"Very interesting," Shana mused to herself, cocking her head to the side.

"What?" Sesshomaru and Kioshi asked simultaneously.

"You two make an adorable couple. How long has this been going on?" Shana asked seriously, but somewhere, perhaps in her eyes as well, she had the tone of a person who was on a mission to troll. Sesshomaru lost his composure first.

"Silence!" he barked, leaping at Shana with Tenseiga drawn. Kioshi watched as the demon lord swung his sword, and at close range, summoned a black hole to swallow the mouthy girl. Shana gasped slightly as she tried to escape it, but it proved to be too much and began dragging her into its bowels.

"Wow," Kioshi whispered under his breath when Shana finally gave up and was sucked in, disappearing into the blackness.

"I'm sure Hell will find your antics more amusing than I have. Good riddance." Sesshomaru said aloud, placing Tenseiga in its sheath and walking away to find out where the fuck he was. He stopped walking when he smelled a familiar rip in the air. Another warp-hole opened and Shana leapt out, waving to her friends before the hole disappeared.

"No one takes me seriously when I say I've good friends down there. That was dirty, man-bitch. Very dirty." Shana stated, swiping dirt from her arms and shirt. Sesshomaru stared back, completely shocked. Once sucked into a meidou, no one was ever able to get out. Why in the bloody hell was this two-bit half-breed with a mouth able to get out? As if reading his mind, Shana smirked and pointed down at her hip where her sword rested in its sheath.

"This is Daiki...we've all met in an alternate universe. Daiki was forged by my five-tailed dog demon ancestor. He used Daiki as a weapon whereas I use Daiki as a tool of entertainment. I am a weapon in my own right. Daiki can drain one's energy, summon asteroids to pummel the Earth, distort reality, space and time...and makes for an excellent backscratcher for those hard-to-reach places." Shana explained proudly.

"Five-tailed dog demon ancestor, you say? My father spoke of such a demon when I was younger." Sesshomaru stated with a frown. Actually, his father told him the myths of such a demon. It was a black dog with five tails and although he was fearsome and powerful, he was very benevolent.

"Unfortunately what my ancestor had in strength and intelligence, he lacked in realism and determination. He should've conquered the world like everyone else was trying to do, but instead I have to do the dirty work." Shana remarked with slight bitterness. She was just upset because she had a fateful encounter with said ancestor and he put her through the ringers, although she still won, it wasn't easy and everything he said to her was...true.

"Are you serious? Conquering the world? What the hell are you doing here, then?" Inuyasha growled.

"Is this not part of the world? You're not special. I'm here mainly because I'm bored and I sensed a disturbance in the world and the fibers of the universe and all realities. The only one with god-like powers should be me and me only because I'm a responsible adult and I know everything." Shana stated, pulling Daiki from its sheath and holding it by her side patiently.

"Wait? You're here to eliminate Kioko? But...she has no control over her powers and she hasn't done anything!" Kioshi shouted defensively. Call him gay? Fine. Announce to kill his friend? Oh hell no.

"All the more reason to take her out and quite frankly, I'm tired of causing a ruckus to get her here. I have things to destroy, people to kill and beer to drink." Shana held her blade with both hands, the blade glowing an eerie red.

"Bitch!" Inuyasha hollered, but everyone stopped breathing for a moment when a rock from space fell from the heavens and struck the boy in the head, knocking him unconscious.

"He was irritating me. Now, for the...oh there you are," Shana said, turning her head and watching as Kioko approached slowly, a serious look on her face.

"Here I am." Kioko said, shrugging a bit when Kioshi and Sesshomaru gave her questioning looks. Shana sheathed her sword and straightened her posture. She knew a few things about the dog warrior, but not enough. Kioko saw Sesshomaru position himself behind Shana's view and ready himself for a team attack.

"Let's go!" Kioko shouted, flying at Shana for an attack. Shana jumped straight up, but Sesshomaru and Kioko followed her without barreling into each other. Shana caught Kioko's chained hammer with one hand, but she missed her counterattack, leaving herself wide-open. Sesshomaru followed in with a powerful uppercut to her face. Shana fell backwards and landed on her back, laying there for a moment to gather her scattered brain. She quickly got back to her feet and fired a flame at Kioko, who dodged it easily, only to gasp when Shana was right with her, inches from her face.

"Uh oh!" Kioko gasped before Shana headbutted her powerfully. Next, Shana unleashed as series of jabs with her fingers onto Kioko's body. Shana turned her attention onto Sesshomaru, who was trying to be sneaky.

"Damn," Kioko groaned as she rubbed her forehead. She blinked a few times and saw that Shana was distracted, so it was the perfect time to attack. The dog-girl grabbed her hammer from the ground, but surprisingly, it barely moved and it was so heavy. Kioko realized that she needed to go into her dog-warrior form and it would be easier to wield.

"Wh-what?" Kioko stuttered when she realized her power was not coursing through her like it should. She remembered the jabs Shana dealt her moments ago and realized what happened. She had blocked Kioko's chakra and chi. All of her energy was useless at this time.

"I'll protect you, Kioko! Get to safety!" Kioshi ordered as he leapt at Shana, who had managed to push Sesshomaru back with her flames. She turned and grabbed Kioshi by his armor, picking him up effortlessly and tossing him away from her. Kioko froze when she watched as Shana held her hands like guns, ripping through the air and creating lightning.

"I...can't move!" Kioko whined, noticing that her chains and hammer were wrapped around her waist. She tried taking them off, but they wouldn't budge. Shana stepped forward and fired a bolt. Sesshomaru leapt in front of Kioko, Tenseiga held in front of him. The sword's barrier reflected the lightning, but the force of the blow pushed Sesshomaru back a few inches. Otherwise, he was unharmed and ready to end this.

"Attacking someone who is defenseless...you're disgusting." Sesshomaru stated with distaste. Shana smirked slightly.

"You have no idea just how nasty I am, but alas, I've run out of time and while I can just warp it and tell it when I'm ready, I'm not willing to spend that kind of energy just yet." Shana announced, turning around and walking away.

"Where...where do you think you're going?" Kioshi grunted as he rose to his feet. Shana placed her hands in her pockets and sighed.

"I'm pretty sure the pizza guy is knocking on my front door and I'm hungry. Do I really need any other excuse to stay here and waste my time trying to break up that beautiful, blossoming romance? Yeah, she stole your man. Sad day." Shana remarked with a yawn.

"You've only realized that you're no match, and so you're running." Sesshomaru corrected.

"You're right, Sesshomaru. Taking out one opponent and then still have three left? I suck at life. Pfft. Shut the fuck up before I cut off your other arm, you stupid squirrel-wannabe." she growled dangerously before disappearing with a red flash. Everyone stared in amazement...that and they couldn't figure out where in the world were they?

0000000000000

Kioko watched as Sesshomaru settled down in a small pond of cold water. The flame that Shana struck him with in the back caused a nasty injury. It would be healed by morning, no doubt, but it was most uncomfortable.

"Do you need any help?" Kioko asked, shrinkling slightly when the demon lord cast an icy glare upon her.

"No. And you're watching me bathe because?" he growled in return.

"Just wanted to see if it was true,"

"See if what is true?"

"Um...I promised Kagome and Sango I wouldn't say." Kioko replied in an innocent and small voice as she nervously picked at the grass beside her. Sesshomaru felt his pride sizzle even worse than the burn on his back with the cold water. He sank into the water until only his shoulders and everything else up was above. He tensed slightly, as the burn on his back stung even worse when fully submerged.

After sitting in the water for a few minutes, the sting of the burn had subsided and was almost healed completely. Sesshomaru had fallen asleep, unaware of his surroundings and quite indifferent. Surely, anything serious would have woken him. Plus, he needed to rest. He hated to admit it, but Shana was more tactful than she led to be. Every move she made had a purpose. Every hit she landed stayed a while and made sure to remind the sufferer of her power. Sesshomaru finally woke up. When his thoughts began to wander off to Shana, he knew it was time to wake up. The demon lord opened his eyes and flinched slightly. Big blue eyes were staring right back, just inches from his own.

"What...are you doing?" Sesshomaru asked slowly when he realized that she was naked and practically hovering over his lap in the water with him.

"This is only the second time I've actually seen you sleeping. Do you know that your eyebrows twtich?" Kioko questioned innocently, her hand resting awfully close to the demon lord's thigh. Sexual innuendoes and suggestive positioning were just legends and unreal in her world.

"What do you want from me? I do not care what happens when I am asleep."

"I would like world peace."

"It was a rhetorical question. I didn't want an answer." Sesshomaru went silent after that. What the hell was he doing? He was naked...sitting in the water...with Kioko who was also naked...discussing rhetorical questions and how his eyebrows twitched in his sleep and how she wanted world peace.

"Why did you tell Kioshi about me killing Himeko?" Kioko asked in a quiet voice.

"You follow me everywhere. You refused to tell him what happened and as long as you refused, he would have started pointless fights, those of which I would have to hear, seeing as you follow me everywhere." Sesshomaru answered soullessly.

"Oh," Kioko breathed, letting out a slow exhale.

"Do not mistake my actions. I care not what happens to you, for ultimately, I will be the one to end you anyway." Sesshomaru glanced over, seeing the tears building in her eyes as she fought them back. Her lip quivered and she even let out a few audible whimpers. Only one thought crossed his mind...time to go. The demon lord stood and stepped from the water, ignoring her sobs.

00000000000

Days passed and no one had seen Kioko. It wasn't unusual, but it worried those who cared for her. They wished she would drop in at the least and let them know she was still moving. Sesshomaru, as hard as he tried not to, wondered what it was she did when she disappeared.

Kioko was just taking a stroll through the deep forest, thinking about things and about how she wished that she could take her armor off forever. She wouldn't have to fight when people made her. She was so engulfed in her thoughts that she didn't know that someone was lying in wait for her. Kioko saw something move and turned her head to look at it, seeing a white snake lunge out and bite onto her throat. The dog-girl fell on her back and watched as the snake slowly slithered from the tree and rested on her torso, black, beady eyes staring into her blue ones.

"Kur-Kuroshi," Kioko stuttered, feeling her body going numb.

"You see, my venom works quite slow when compared to others', but when directly injected into a major artery or close to the lungs and heart, its speed increases ten-fold." the snake explained coldly, her tongue flicking with pleasure.

"Somebody...will find me," Kioko breathed, noticing how heavy her chest was becoming. The snake wasn't helping much either.

"Shh, shh, my dear. The more you talk, struggle and worry, the faster it will kill you and I'd prefer you to suffer." Kuroshi stated, rearing up even more and leaning forward, feeling Kioko's breaths getting shorter and shorter. Fear filled the dog-warrior's innocent, blue eyes. Kioko dug her nails into the ground and writhed as unimaginable pain filled her body. She was choking on her own breaths and the last thing she remembered were the black eyes of Kuroshi.

"Hmph." Kuroshi huffed when Kioko finally stopped moving. The snake warrior knew she was going to be in deep shit for killing a fellow Zodiac warrior, so she needed to disappear quickly. Kuroshi flicked her tongue, trying to figure out which was the best way to go before slithering in the direction of safety.

00000000000

"Oh, you're awake," a voice mused uncaringly. Kioko tried to focus her eyes, but her head was pounding, so she kept them closed. She recognized the voice was that of a woman.

"Ow," Kioko groaned, realizing that her body hurt. It was like it was made of pain itself.

"Probably better for you not to move. You were dead for a while before I found you, so your body is still stiff."

"I...have to...go," Kioko breathed, trying to roll over, but her limbs did not want to cooperate.

"Do you want to die again? You're in too much pain to go anywhere. So ungrateful." the woman sighed hopelessly.

"I'm...I'm so confused," Kioko panted. Everything was so...weird. And painful.

"Nothing to be confused about. Can I trust you to stay still while I go retrieve my unappreciative son? It's almost as if you're both in a competition to see who is more thankless," the woman griped.

"Whatever you say," Kioko groaned, finally giving up and laying still. She heard silence and assumed the mysterious lady had left. Kioko felt weakness wash over her and gave up, falling back asleep.


	19. Chapter 19

Extreme Edition

"Hey...wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey," Shana said as she poked the sleeping Kioko with the tip of her sword's blade. Kioko moaned as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Wh-what're you doing here?" Kioko asked the spiky-haired half-demon. Shana cocked an eyebrow.

"Didn't know I needed a reason to be here." Shana retorted dryly, continuing to poke Kioko in the face with her blade. Kioko winced as she tried to move her aching body to try to get Shana to stop.

"Stop it! I hurt!" Kioko cried out with annoyance.

"I'll stop when you wake the fuck up, sit the fuck up and shut the fuck up."

"Why are you so rotten? I-I don't...understand...ow! Ow, ow, ow, ow!" Kioko shouted when Shana finally lost patience and grabbed her by the collar of her armor, pulling her into a sitting position violently.

"Either you move or I'll move you." Shana stated sternly, letting go of the dog warrior amd waiting for her to pull herself together. Shana watched as Kioko slowly opened her eyes, struggling to slow her breathing. The spiky-haired girl smelled the scent of death on Kioko. It was slight, but still noticable.

"Why do I have to move? I don't understand," Kioko grumbled, rubbing her head slowly. Her white hair had dirt in it and it bothered her. Shana rolled her eyes as she sheathed her sword, grabbing Kioko's robes by the shoulders and pulling her to her feet. Kioko let out a few cries and whimpers, but she locked her legs at the knees so she could stay standing. Shana stood behind Kioko and began shoving her forward. Shana believed that the cure to pain was just to act like it didn't even exist. Kioko heard ferocious growls and stopped walking, but her body gave out and she fell to her knees, panting and feeling like she was about to pass out.

"Oh, I forgot about you," Shana mused carelessly at the two black creatures standing in her and Kioko's path. The black dogs snarled and howled defensively, taking steps forward. Shana pulled Kioko to her feet with one hand and began forcing her forward. The dogs continued to bark and growl, but Shana cast them an icy glare, which silenced them almost immediately. The black dogs sat down obediently and whined slightly, but they allowed Shana and Kioko to pass.

"Where...where are you t...taking me?" Kioko asked breathlessly, her steps forced and uncoordinated. Her head hung forward and bobbed with each step she took. Shana grabbed the back of Kioko's armor, leading her to the steps that lay on the edge of the giant palace that floated in the sky.

"Hurry up. They should be back soon." Shana snipped, shoving Kioko off the edge and into the clouds. Shana leapt after her, keeping completely calm, whereas Kioko was flailing and screaming with fear and worry. Shana landed on the ground softly and caught Kioko before she hit the ground. She then proceeded to drop Kioko mercilessly and stared down.

"If you would tell me...what you wanted...I'd be more motivated to move!" Kioko shouted at Shana, hissing and tensing as the waves of pain washed around her body, each taking turns crashing as hard as they could. Shana stood for a moment, observing her surroundings before looking back at Kioko. She bent down and grabbed the dog warrior by the top of her armor, pulling her closer to her face.

"I've got your motivation right here in the form of my right fist. You will stand up and you will come with me." Shana growled warningly. Kioko stared at Shana with her innocent, blue eyes, which were watering with pain. Kioko didn't understand, but she slowly stood up, beginning to follow Shana to wherever it was the half-demon needed to go.

000000000

Shana sat down on top of a boulder that sat in front of a hidden lake. It sat below ground, but there was an opening that let the sun in. She glanced down at Kioko, who was standing at the edge, frowning as she stared at her reflection in the lake. On her face, starting above her eyebrow and ending down on her chin was a nasty cut. It was opened, but it didn't hurt at all.

"Did you do this to me?" Kioko asked aloud, keeping her gaze on her reflection.

"I didn't do shit. I'm hungry." Shana replied. Kioko let out a sigh, reaching up and slowly feeling the wound. It didn't hurt at all, even when she touched it. She didn't even smell the blood.

"So you brought me here to see that my face has been damaged?"

"And if I did? You mad?" Shana asked, looking back at Kioko. The dog warrior narrowed her eyes, but she said nothing. Shana wanted a reaction, so she wouldn't give her one. Kioko's eyes wandered to the reflection of the boulder Shana sat upon and instead of Shana's reflection, a dark shadow with gleaming red eyes and visibly spiky hair sat. Kioko quickly looked at Shana. She still looked the same.

"No." the white dog answered.

"This lake has healing abilities. It's said that those who swim in its waters are relived of all ailments and injuries."

"You brought me here to heal myself? Doesn't sound like you."

"I do what I want."

"Whatever. I knew you had some good in you, even if it is faint."

"Psh," Shana snorted as she relaxed onto her back. Kioko leapt into the lake, wondering if what Shana said was true or if she was just making it up. Kioko stayed submerged, feeling herself falling to the bottom slowly. There was a light emitting from the bottom and she even heard what sounded like singing, but it wasn't scary. It was inviting.

Shana yawned and heard Kioko finally surface from the water. She swam to the edge and crawled out, examining her hands with awe. The pain was gone from her body and she felt brand new once more. She didn't even feel tired anymore. Kioko turned and looked back at her reflection, frowning when she saw the cut was still visible.

"Wow. This lake sucks." Shana yawned.

"Well, it relived me of everything else. I'd say it did a good job." Kioko insisted.

"It wanted you to remain ugly, is what happened."

"It's just a cut. It'll heal on its own."

000000000000

Kioko watched as Shana walked up to a man selling freshly-made dumplings on a stick. The demon girl leaned over slightly, closely examining them all. The man turned around from his currently cooking food and saw Shana.

"Aaahhh! Demon!" the man shrieked as he ran from his little shack.

"Guess that means it's free," Shana murmured, not moving from her examination on which one to eat first. She grabbed a handful and devoured them quickly. Kioko slowly approached and ate a few herself.

"Stupid demon! Quit stealing from us!" a small kid screamed as he ran up to Shana with a small dagger. Shana continued eating as she bent down and picked the kid up with one hand. She ate another dumpling before glancing at the kid.

"I wasn't listening, what was that?" she asked.

"I said," Before the boy could even get to the best part of his sentence, Shana had launched him into the air, high into the clouds. People who were watching from the distance gasped and a few had broken into tears. Shana grabbed another stick of dumplings and bit into them, enjoying herself quite a bit. Kioko heard the boy falling back down to the ground and she leapt and caught him, placing him down. He was shaken up and upset, but otherwise unharmed.

"Stupid kid." Shana growled distastefully as she walked away, but not before grabbing the remaining dumplings.

0000000000

Sesshomaru stood as he stared off in the distance of the starry night. It was a slightly chilly night, which was a shift from the string of muggy, humid nights they had been having. The demon lord turned his head and looked upon the little human girl, who lay snuggled beside Kohaku, the young demon exterminator who had joined the group. Sesshomaru made sure that Rin's breathing and heart beat were what they should be. The run-in with his mother the previous day had made him think twice about his limitations...and about Rin's mortality. He thought that as long as she was under his protection that she would live forever, but his mother's, actually his father's, test proved him wrong. He was no god. He wasn't even a demi-god.

"Hm," Sesshomaru huffed quietly, turning back to the sky. The demon lord then remembered that half-demon bitch, Shana, and what she had said about having "god-like" powers and how she was the only one eligible, no...the only one allowed to have such abilities. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed when he realized he was thinking that a lowly half-breed was better than him. No. The only reason Shana had god-like powers was because of a sword that she had inherited. It wasn't made by her nor was it a part of her. It was just there. The only one who truly had that power was the five-tailed black dog demon.

"Kioko," he whispered under his breath when he had realized he had forgotten about her abilities. She was considered a god and even had her own followers, whereas Shana definitely had enemies and more enemies. There was no way she had followers. There was no way anyone even remotely liked her...right? But Kioko has much better qualities than her. Kioko was benevolent and caring and her strength, although he taunted her about being weak, the demon lord knew exactly what she was capable of when pushed to the limits. Would she one day be able to control time and space? Or create and destroy the lands as she pleased?

"Lord Sesshomaru," a small voice called out weakly. The demon lord turned around and strode over to Rin, kneeling down and giving her his full attention.

"A bad dream?" he asked her. Rin sat up slowly and shook her head in the negative, although she looked disturbed and worried.

"I didn't really get to sleep well. I kind of did have a bad dream, but...it didn't feel like one. It felt so real." Rin explained. Sesshomaru noticed her hands were shaking.

"You will be alright, Rin. I'm right here. I won't be leaving tonight." Sesshomaru said to her. The little girl smiled and let out a sigh of relief.

"Go to sleep, little one." the demon lord said as he placed his hand on her head. Rin nodded as she laid back down and closed her eyes. Sesshomaru sat beneath the tree nearest to Rin and stayed awake for a little while, making sure she slept peacefully. He eventually fell asleep as well. Jaken put the campfire out and went to sleep as well.

00000000000

_'Wake up...find them...kill him...dispose of the rest.'_ a wicked voice whispered. Kioko's eyes snapped open, but they were glazed over, as if she were still asleep. She slowly sat up and looked around. No one was around her. She stood up slowly and began walking. Step...step...step...almost as if she were a robot. Little did she know, someone was watching. Shana sat upon a branch, her sunglasses were now off and tucked into her pocket. Her golden eyes watched as Kioko walked away slowly.

"Hm, sleepwalking, perhaps?" Shana asked herself, leaping from the branch and chasing after Kioko. She jumped and landed in front of Kioko, who stared aimlessly. Shana stepped forward and waved her hand in front of Kioko's face. Nothing happened, not even a blink. Shana cocked an eyebrow and Kioko took a deep, slow breath through her nose, but remained still. Shana waved her hand while snapping her fingers and Kioko's hand flew up lightning-fast, grabbing Shana's wrist and squeezing unmercifully...but Shana remained cold and uncaring, even with the crushing force on her wrist.

"More than a cut on that face of yours...let go before you do something you regret," Shana said evenly. Kioko didn't respond...except by jerking Shana's arm out of place and then using her other hand to snap it at the elbow. Shana didn't even scream, but she did back up a few steps, holding her arm with her uninjured hand.

"Now that was rude," Shana chuckled. She inhaled through her nose before swinging her broken arm out, snapping it back into place before she grabbed her arm and flexed the elbow back into place, making no sounds of pain whatsoever. She cracked her arm a few more times before turning back to Kioko, who was slowly walking past her, back on her path to somewhere. Shana realized Kioko didn't want to fight, but just wanted her out of the way.

0000000000

Kioko stood over the sleeping demon lord, staring down soullessly. She was so quiet that Sesshomaru didn't even hear her coming. Shana stood off in the distance, leaning against a tree and wondering what fun could possibly happen. The dog warrior was just standing there, staring mindlessly.

"Is she going to start drooling? What the hell." Shana grumbled under her breath, crossing her arms impatiently. Shana rolled her eyes and inhaled through her nose, only to stop, her eyes widening slightly. She sniffed the air once more, now focused on the scent around Kioko...it was the scent of death. How was Kioko dead when she had...

"She...doesn't." Shana said with a frown, speaking of Kioko's heartbeat. Kioko was breathing, but she currently had no heartbeat and now that the moon was hitting her, her skin was pale. Maybe that was why that cut wasn't healing. Kioko the dog warrior was of the walking dead. Kioko got down on her knees, her hair hanging in her face.

"Se-Sesshomaru," Kioko whispered. Sesshomaru's eyes opened and he saw how close Kioko was. He saw the cut on her face and the saddened look in her eyes.

"What happened to you?" Sesshomaru asked. Kioko bowed down, almost to the ground, confusing Sesshomaru slightly. Shana cocked an eyebrow, wondering what would happen next. Surely something good.

"I'm hurt," Kioko finally answered, her tone revealing some pain. Sesshomaru leaned forward, placing his hand under her chin and raising her face to look at her. Something wasn't right. At the moment their eyes met, Sesshomaru felt something plow right through his torso, armor and all. He stared at Kioko with disbelief, but she had no life in her eyes.

"Oh shit...knew I should've brought some popcorn." Shana grumbled. Kioko heard her and whipped her head in her direction. Shana smirked.

"Want some of this? Well, come at me," Shana chuckled. Kioko pulled her hand from the injured demon lord's body, standing up and slowly making her way to Shana.

"J-Jaken! Get Rin to safety!" Sesshomaru ordered after waking his follower with a rock. Kioko jumped at Shana, but she missed her mark. Shana jumped to the side and kicked into Kioko's stomach with the hardest part of her leg. The force of the kick sent Kioko flying backwards. She landed on her back, turning over slightly and coughing up water.

"Oh, so that's what happened," Shana chirped as if it were nothing. She took one leap and landed on Kioko's stomach. The dog girl let out a howl of pain before coughing up more water. Shana stamped her foot onto her stomach once more and backed away, allowing her to cough up the rest. The water she coughed up turned into steam and disappeared entirely. Kioko remained on her back, writhing and still coughing, but she was back to normal and the scent of death was gone.

"What...the hell was that?" Sesshomaru growled, trying to hide his pain and irritation from his followers.

"Water parasite. Probably from that lake." Shana answered before disappearing with a red flash. Kioko continued to pant breathlessly, grasping at her burning throat. A few tears fell from her eyes as she turned her head to Sesshomaru.

"I...I tried to tell you! I'm...so s-sorry!" Kioko pleaded. Sesshomaru stood over her, his wound already had begun healing. He reached out with his hand and waited for her to grab it. Kioko stared at his hand distrustfully and with slight shock, but she eventually grabbed hold of it and sighed with relief.

AN- I appreciate the nice comments everyone has been leaving. I know I've been focusing a lot on Kioko and for the very reason I created her...too damn adorable. She tries so hard. I will get back on track of the plot and other characters next chapter. I feel like if I didn't focus on Kioko, she would come out very misunderstood and stupid, when that's not the case.


	20. Chapter 20

Just as I Suspected to be the Case

Kioko lay on Kagome's bed after waking from what seemed like a sleep that had gone on for years. The dog warrior just stared at the ceiling, doing nothing except blinking occasionally. Nothing was even running through her mind, unlike the usual thought-after-thought-rape her mind would have. Kioko realized she was holding her breath and finally let it out, feeling the relief fill her lungs and keep her body functioning.

"Hey, you're finally awake, are you?" Kioshi asked, leaping up from the floor and sitting beside Kioko. He was in his bunny form, mainly just for cheering Kioko up. Kioko's eyes slowly moved and landed on Kioshi, still blank. Kioshi's nose twitched as he made sure that the scent of death had left her entirely. He noticed that she was back to normal...somewhat.

"Um...what?" Kioshi asked nervously when he realized that she was just staring at him. The door opened and Kagome walked in with a tray of food for the dog warrior. Kioko's nose didn't even twitch, nor did her eyes avert from the rabbit.

"She's still shaken up a bit, Kioshi. I think she needs more sleep." Kagome stated after spying the rabbit's worried look.

"Do you think Shana had anything to do with it? I mean, she can't control someone, can she?"

"I don't think she did anything. She was just there to stomp the living daylights out of poor Kioko," Kagome muttered with slight distaste while thinking about the spiky-haired Shana. Kioko's memory finally sparked back to life. She remembered Shana's combat boot stomping the hell out of her. Just then, she remembered why she didn't want to breathe. It hurt! Oh did it hurt! Every slight inhale or exhale sent jolts and stabs of pain through her. And the look on Sesshomaru's face when her hand plowed through him. He didn't see it coming. His eyes...almost asking her why she did it. He knew she didn't mean to, he even said so. Had Shana not been there, Kioko may have killed the others as well while they slept.

"It's starting to hurt her again, Kagome." Kioshi said aloud, turning his head around. Kagome was fiddling with something on her desk.

"Oh Kioshi, I don't know how much I can help her. Are you sure you don't know why her wounds aren't healing as they usually do?"

"I'm sorry, I do not." Kioshi answered, his eyes locking with Kioko's. The dog warrior looked up when Kagome turned around with something in her hand.

"Here, swallow these with some water. They'll help with your pain." Kagome said to Kioko, who took the pills and placed them in her mouth. She was unable to sit up without wincing. The pain was worse than after being revived from being dead for several hours and her body in full rigor.

"Kioko, I know it hurts, but can you say something? Please, it's worrying me that you're not talking," Kioshi insisted, his right ear folded down and the other standing upright.

"Hate," Kioko whispered.

"Hate? What do you hate?" Kagome asked curiously. Kioko was a creature of love. Hate was almost forbidden to her. Kioko's response was closing her eyes and turning her head to the side, saying nothing more. Kioshi and Kagome looked at one another worriedly, but they decided to leave her be for the time.

000000000

Kioshi sighed heavily as he nuzzled Sango's chest. He had remained in his rabbit form for a few days and Sango's leg was injured, so she rode upon Kirara. She also held Kioshi when Kagome explained to her (in secret) that the rabbit was sad. Miroku was not happy about Kioshi being near his second favorite part of Sango's body, especially snuggling with them.

"If you continue to go on like this, Kioshi, you'll age horribly," Sango chirped.

"Not even on the list that concerns me," Kioshi replied. Sango smiled as she held him even tighter against her breasts.

"You happy yet?" she asked.

"No." Kioshi sighed. Sango held the rabbit up in front of her face and gave him a small kiss on the nose. His nose twitched slightly as his ears flicked.

"How about now?" Sango quizzed.

"I don't know...can I have another?"

"Sure!" Sango laughed, planting another on his head. Kioshi's ears stood straight up as he leapt onto her shoulder, sitting comfortably on her.

"Thank you, dear friend. Ever had a bunny kiss?" Kioshi asked curiously.

"No...what's it like?" Sango asked back. Kioshi balanced himself on his hind legs, still sitting upon her left shoulder.

"You asked for it," Kioshi said before using his paws to turn her head towards him. Sango gasped when the felt the furry lips on her own, his ears wrapping around the back of her head and his paws holding each side of her face.

"You filthy, furry vermin! Off my woman!" Miroku finally shouted, running at Kioshi. The rabbit leapt onto the ground and sped his way to Kagome. Miroku stopped and instantly felt foolish when he realized that Kagome and Inuyasha were busy laughing hysterically at him.

"Seriously, monk? Getting jealous of a rabbit?" Inuyasha asked spitefully. Miroku felt his cheeks burn with embarassment. Unfair.

"At least I've alraedy made my choice about who I want to spend my life with, you two-timing dog!" Miroku snapped back, instantly regretting it when Kagome stopped laughing and let out a noise that sounded like, "Yeah, me too." It was Inuyasha's turn to blush with embarassment.

"You don't even know, Miroku! Shut up!" Inuyasha barked back.

"You two bicker like women...both of you stop." Shippo grumbled while sitting on the safety of Kagome's shoulder. The young girl watched as Kioshi hopped back over to Sango and leapt back into her arms, continuing their conversation from earlier.

00000000000

Kioko whimpered as she slowly made her way towards the shrine that held the well. Paw by paw, Kioko marched at a pace that rivaled that of a snail. She stopped and instantly lay down, panting breathlessly and trying to build up more energy. She hated being confined to a bed. Kioko let out a growl as she got back to her feet, her head and tail hanging low. She took one small step, wincing and limping as she took another step.

"Oh no, poor puppy...you're hurt," a familiar and soothing voice called out. Kagome's mother quickly walked up to the injured dog and knelt down beside her. Kioko remained standing, panting weakly, but still having enough energy to slightly wag her tail when the woman stroked her head.

"You should probably rest. You look like you've been through a lot and...oh look at your coat, it's so dirty. Usually it's so pretty and pure, too." the woman mused as she slowly and gently stroked Kioko.

"Mrawr," Kioko grunted, forcing herself to keep moving forward.

"Well, whatever you need to do, I hope it's worth the pain. Ha, of course, I'm talking to a dog, so maybe there's something wrong with all of us." Kagome's mom said before turning around and walking back into the house. Kioko stared after her, wondering if going back was the right thing to do after all. Kioko glanced at the shrine before turning the other way and walking towards the steps that led to the sidewalk. She was going to have a little adventure in the city.

00000000000

Sesshomaru stared down the demon who dared mock him. It had lifeless eyes and white hair with a tint of color in it. What disgusted Sesshomaru the most was how it fought. It had the exact same tactics and spineless tricks that Naraku had. The only thing this demon was missing was a mouth that seemed to never close. This demon had only spoken one thing the entire five minutes they had been fighting. Its words? Arrogant vermin. Oh, that set the demon lord off entirely.

"You have nerve, I'll give you that much," Sesshomaru growled.

"My name...Magatsuhi...don't forget it." the demon replied coldly and calmly. Sesshomaru ran at him, full speed and fully angered. The demon lord was able to dodge the first attacks of Magatsuhi. He swiped with his poisonous claws, but it made not a difference. Sesshomaru no longer had the meidou at his disposal, as Inuyasha's blade absorbed that ability from Tenseiga. That was a whole other story and whole other world of pissed-off that Sesshomaru had discovered. Just when he thought that nothing else could annoy him beyond a certain point, something else would come along and shove him off that point. It all started with Kioko attacking him...

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin and Jaken screamed frantically. The demon lord realized what had happened. Magatsuhi's sharp tentacles had ripped through his only hand and arm.

"You're weak," Magatsuhi said, a slight smirk appearing across his face.

"You bastard!" Kohaku hollered, charging forward to help out the demon lord, but Sesshomaru wouldn't have it.

"Stay back! This fight is mine," Sesshomaru ordered, breaking his arm free and preparing for another attack. He refused to lose...or let anyone fight in his place.

"Oh no! Sesshomaru," a familiar voice shouted. The demon lord turned his head and saw Inuyasha's group approaching. He saw Kioshi in his rabbit form, resting in the demon slayer's arms, but no Kioko.

"This is my fight, Inuyasha. Stay out of it." Sesshomaru demanded coldly.

"There's no way you're going to fight and win...look at your arm. You're too injured to go on," Inuyasha insisted as he boldly stepped forward. Sesshomaru snorted quietly, his demonic aura surrounding his body entirely. Inuyasha watched with awe as the wounds inflicted upon Sesshomaru's arm healed entirely, as if they never existed.

"Hmph," Magatsuhi huffed, but it was almost a laugh.

"My lord's fighting spirit will keep him going! Stay out of his way!" Jaken hollered victoriously. Rin smiled and nodded in agreement.

"You think you're so tough, do you?" Magatsuhi asked. His eyes scanned the new crowd of people and was staring Kagome directly in the eyes. She had her bow and arrow at the ready, but the demon would have none of it. Kagome's body froze up as she fell to the ground, unable to even speak. The rabbit leapt from Sango's arms and transformed into the large rabbit warrior wielding axes. Magatsuhi's face finally showed emotion...rage.

"YOU!" Magatsuhi bellowed angrily, pointing at Kioshi, who realized who he was and got into a fighting stance.

"I will make you regret the day you came into existence, you piece of shit!" Kioshi shouted back, leaping forward, but Sesshomaru immediately got in his way and punched the stunned Magatsuhi first. Sesshomaru realized that no matter how many times Magatsuhi was struck, it didn't bother the demon at the very least. That meant his body was merely a puppet. Where was the real Magatsuhi?

"Sesshomaru, you can't defeat him on your own! Even the entire Zodiac couldn't hold him down!" Kioshi insisted seriously.

"Probably because none of you had the intelligence to figure out how to defeat him. Stand back and watch me do what you wish you could do," Sesshomaru stated, reaching for Tenseiga and immediately confusing everyone. They all knew he no longer had the meidou, so what was his plan? Use the handle of Tenseiga as a club and beat the snot out of Magatsuhi?

"You arrogant fool!" Kioshi shouted as Sesshomaru lunged forward, his sword at the ready. Magatsuhi glared angrily. He already figured out the truth? And here he thought Sesshomaru was an idiot. The demon smirked anyway. It didn't matter if Sesshomaru knew or not, he didn't have the strength needed to kill him.

"Stop! You stupid dog! Stoooooooop!" Kioshi hollered frantically, but it was too late and Sesshomaru couldn't avoid the sneak attack. A sharp tentacle drilled right through his torso, armor and all. Sesshomaru's mind instantly flashed back to Kioko's hand plowing through him in the exact same fashion and exact same spot.

0000000000

Kioko finally collapsed when she found the perfect patch of grass that lay beneath a tree beside the river. She had walked through the entire city and found not one interesting thing or person. Even the kids were dreadfully boring. She slowly licked her lips and let out a depressing sigh that could bring down the mood of even the happiest camper in the world.

"Hey, I know you," a young man said as he sat beside the dog. Kioko didn't even lift her head. She didn't care who was talking to her now. Humans were strange. She felt a hand slowly stroke her body.

"Or at least I thought I did. You almost look just like that dog-god that my family and close friends dedicate everything to. The legend was that this large dog with the whitest coat, even whiter than freshly fallen snow, saved the city from a dangerous demon and from befalling natural disasters of every kind, but that surely cannot be you. Your coat is dingy and has particles of dirt throughout it. Plus, your expression doesn't show as much intelligence and bravery as the statues and paintings I've seen." the young man stated assuredly.

"Mrrr," Kioko whined, flicking her tail, keeping her gaze on the river.

"Hm, it would be against everything I know if I were to deny you any help. Come on, doggy," he urged Kioko to move. The white dog finally lifted her head and looked at the young man. She let out a defeated sigh and stood up steadily.

"You're injured, too, huh? You can barely walk...here," and with those words, the young man bent down and lifted the large dog into his arms and hoisted her over his shoulder. Kioko's tail wagged slightly. He was a nice guy...even if he didn't think she looked smart or brave.

He called out to someone when he arrived at a gate and the woman opened the gate, gasping when she saw the white dog in his arms. He insisted that it wasn't the Great White Dog from the legends, but was a messenger of the dog.

"We can give it a bath in back, the poor thing." the woman said soothingly, stroking Kioko's head softly. The man placed Kioko on her paws and she immediately let out a whimper, laying down to take the pressure off her body.

"She seems to be hurt pretty badly, Mom. I don't think giving her a bath is a good idea." the young man insisted.

"This is true. Well, doggie, are you hungry? Ha, you probably don't even understand me, do you?" the woman asked. Kioko lifted her head and wagged her tail in response. Food sounded pretty good.

"Hungry...food?" Kioko said, forgetting her promise to keep a low profile. The man and woman gasped when they heard the dog speak.

"Uh...did you...did you just talk?" the man asked.

"Food." Kioko repeated, tail still wagging. The woman had already run inside, preparing something for the talking dog.

"So...are you a messenger of the Great White Dog?" the man asked curiously. Kioko wondered if she should answer that.

"Mmm...what do you think?" she asked him in return. The man stuttered and laughed nervously. He had already decided that she wasn't the dog from the legends...but that was before she began talking.

"Uh, haha,"

"Here you go! It's not much, but it was something I could fix up right away!" the woman chirped, placing a plate of meats and cheese in front of Kioko. The dog warrior's stomach growled with desire. She immediately devoured the plate of food, taking no prisoners in her conquest.

"Yummy!" Kioko howled happily, feeling something rushing through her body. She didn't know what it was, but it felt good and she felt like her old self again. She still had the unbearable pain in her torso and abdomen, but it didn't bother her as much anymore.

"I'm glad you like it. Your spirits seem to have risen." the woman said with a smile. Kioko nodded, but her attention was drawn elsewhere. Something was calling to her. She needed to be somewhere. The dog stood up and sniffed the air. Did someone need her help? What kept screaming for her?

"I uh...I have to go. Thanks for the food!" Kioko yipped before running away, back to Kagome's house and the well. She knew whatever it was calling for her was calling for her there.

0000000000

"Damn...it...Sesshomaru! I told you...not to...fucking fight!" Inuyasha barked as he hacked away at the mound of flesh that had swallowed his brother whole. Kioshi had also joined in the hacking, but he was much less verbal about it and kept a weary eye on Magatsuhi.

"Why don't you go ahead and use your strongest attack, Inuyasha? The person you are searching for is no longer of this world." Magatsuhi chuckled callously.

"What?" Inuyasha snapped.

"Do not listen to him, Inuyasha! Keep looking!" Kioshi insisted, slashing a few tentacles from encasing him. Where the hell were the other Zodiac warriors? It was ridiculous. As soon as they are released from their statues, they split the second they get the chance and are never there when needed.

"Gah! Damn it all! This is all Sesshomaru's fault! I hope he rots in hell!" Inuyasha screamed angrily, now realizing what kind of danger he was in. Magatsuhi was fixing to swallow him and Kioshi at once.

"I can make sure you see that happen," Magatsuhi chuckled.

"Huh? Kioko?" Rin choked, wiping the tears from her eyes when she saw the white dog leaping gracefully over her and sprinting towards the flesh to help out. Kioko transformed into her dog warrior form.

"You think you could be of any help? You're the pathetic pup of the group." Magatsuhi said. Kioko defended Kioshi, but she was soon panting and realizing how heavy her body felt now. She reverted to her human form to help keep the weight off her chest and abdomen.

"Hm?" Kioshi grunted, his ears twitching as they picked up on a sound...a heartbeat.

"What now?" Inuyasha asked as the mound of flesh began rumbling, as if it were falling apart from the inside out.

"Ow! Ow, ow, ow!" Kioko yelped with each step she took to escape.

"Impossible!" Magatsuhi bellowed when Sesshomaru emerged from the bright light that seemed to be melting away...no, the bright light was coming from the demon lord himself. Sesshomaru swung his arm, but it was his left arm. Magatsuhi frowned. He didn't have a left arm ten minutes ago. What the hell.

"I-I don't even...what is," Magatsuhi was practically stuttering with disbelief. He was trying to reform and regroup, but none of the parts he had collected were reacting. They were dead and useless. Magatsuhi took this opportunity to escape, seing as he had almost nothing to control and fight with.

0000000000

"Ow! Owwwwwwwwwwww!" Kioko howled loudly and pathetically as Sango and Kioshi fought to keep her restrained and to change her bandages.

"Kioko, you pathetic dog! Be silent!" Kioshi hissed with annoyance.

"But it hurrrrrrrrrrrts! Aaahhooooooooooo!" she cried in response, writhing and wriggling every part of her body she could.

"Kioshi, this isn't going to work! She has to be still!" Sango stated in a voice louder than the dog warrior's cries and howls.

"Well, usually Kagome soothes her before doing this, but," Kioshi sighed and looked over at the other side of the hut where the incapacitated Kagome lay and an alert and serious Inuyasha sat by her. His ears twitched and he finally looked up from Kagome with annoyance.

"Can you shut up? Kagome is trying to sleep and my ears are more sensitive than most." Inuyasha growled with distaste.

"Inuyasha, my ears are even more sensitive than yours and I'm right next to her. You must remember that Kioko is in pain and has been through a lot." Kioshi replied calmly and knowingly.

"Yeah, but that's her fault if she wants to go off on her own and play Bedtime Fetch with my prick older brother. If she would stay with us like she's supposed to, three-fourths of her problems would be solved." Inuyasha said back calmly.

"Inuyasha, there have been plenty of times you've run off, injured or not." Sango announced with slight anger. She was tired of him always picking on Kioko, who wasn't even around enough to cause any annoyance and when she was around, she usually made everyone smile and joyous.

"Whatever! Shut up! The difference is that I can defend myself and she couldn't fight her way out of a wet paper bag!" Inuyasha barked defensively.

"And you call swinging your blade around wildly like a brainless monkey fighting?" a cold voice shot as Sesshomaru entered the hut like he owned the place.

"And now that you have your left arm back, you think you're the shit?" Inuyasha asked his older brother boldly.

"With or without it, I will always be better than you in every way possible."

"Except when it comes to girls! You're queer, aren't you?" Inuyasha asked spitefully, a victorious smile etched into his face.

"Don't try to get into a bed-comparison match with me, little brother. You'll surely lose." Sesshomaru answered calmly, as if he weren't talking about that particular subject.

"Pfft. I wonder how many of them really loved you...or were just using you." Inuyasha grumbled.

"Love is for the weak-minded." Sesshomaru snipped quickly, making Inuyasha sizzle even more.

"Stop touching me! I'll bite you! I'll bite! Om...nom...nom...nom!" Kioko growled, biting at both Kioshi and Sango's hands as they quickly unwrapped the dirty bandages from her torso.

"You know if you would let us do this, we would've been done ten minutes ago?" Kioshi asked the dog, who pouted and crossed her arms.

"So?" she grumbled.

"Leave her be, pest. She is your equal, not your pet. If she doesn't want help, then stop messing with her," Sesshomaru stated demandingly as he stepped forward. He had brought Rin to see Kioko, but the girl seemed to have been interested with a woman's kimono shop down the road. Kioko stared back up at Sesshomaru distrustfully.

"And what's your deal? You trying to look at my lumps?" Kioko asked the demon lord. Sesshomaru blinked and stayed quiet. He learned that was the best way to deal with Kioko when she used the "modern-day lingo" from that place beyond the well.

"Uh, lumps? Kioko, where did you learn such a term?" Kioshi asked with a nervous and embarassed smile.

"I heard someone use it in the city the other day, what's it to you?" Kioko growled, still pouting and still not looking even the least bit threatening. Kioshi let out a huge sigh as he shook his head.

"I told you not to repeat everything you hear from that place," the rabbit scolded.

"And when she needs a nagging mother, she'll ask for one. Step aside, rabbit. She and I have matters to discuss," Sesshomaru ordered, taking another step forward just to bother Kioko, who held her arms around herself even tighter and pouted even deeper.

"Say what?" Kioshi choked, devastated that he was just compared to a nagging mother. He only wanted Kioko to get better.

"Put some clothes on and meet me outside...now." And with that, the demon lord turned and left the hut. Kioko exhaled. Here was her chance to make amends. She pulled her white robes back over her torso and kept them loosely tied. Even tying the cloth too tightly made her hurt like a politician in a truth-telling contest. Kioko stepped outside and saw the demon lord making his way down the road that led out of the village. She took a step forward, pausing as she wondered if this was a good idea or not...that and hearing Inuyasha make a remark that sounded like, "Going off alone again? Big surprise. Don't die." Kioko saw Sesshomaru stop walking and turn back, looking directly at her before motioning with his head for her to follow him.

"He doesn't seem mad. I wonder what's up." Kioko said to herself as she walked as quickly as she could after him.

Sesshomaru waited beneath a tree. It was a hot and humid day, so shade seemed like a good idea, especially since the person he wanted to talk to was a sensitive creature. He knew she was lagging behind, but she was severely injured, more than even Kioko herself knew, so he gave her the benefit of the doubt, something he rarely did.

"Alright! This...had better be...important! I think...I think I'm about to die!" Kioko breathed heavily as she approached, stumbling and disoriented, but she was there. She took a few breaths before standing up straight, despite the sharp pains and waiting for Sesshomaru to speak. He merely crossed his arms inside his sleeves, something he missed doing, and closed his eyes.

"Sit down before," He couldn't even finish his sentence before Kioko collapsed to the ground with a loud groan of relief. Sesshomaru decided to remain standing and let her have her space while she recovered.

"Ow...my life." Kioko whined dryly, her chest heaving with each of her pained breaths.

"You will live. Quit complaining." Sesshomaru stated coolly.

"What do you want?" Kioko asked in half a whisper.

"You have escaped death twice and yet you insist on chasing it. This isn't a game. You should be more careful and quit upsetting Rin by getting yourself hurt. If you're so bent on dying, go do it elsewhere, but not around her."

"Does right here and right now seem good enough to you? I mean, does it meet the expectations?" Kioko asked sarcastically, slowly sitting up.

"Only after I'm through talking with you,"

"Then talk! What the hell do you want?" Kioko snapped irritably. She was tired of his beating around the bush. Usually he was direct and to the point, so why he was dancing around was beyond her.

"I want you to stop jumping in everywhere and give yourself time to heal! You are a Zodiac warrior, I am aware of that fact, but that title is just what that is...a title. That rabbit is a true warrior, as is the dragon and the rat and the other animals of the Zodiac, but you are not."

"I am just as good as the others! Don't play me down like a child! I'm not a child!" Kioko shouted angrily, standing up and showing no signs of pain to prove her point. Sesshomaru closed his eyes once more and let a moment pass before speaking again.

"Strength is not shrugging off your injuries and pretending they do not exist. That's foolishness. You are not warrior material and no matter what, you never will be. Accept that fact and move on."

"It's because I'm a girl, isn't it?" Kioko asked with distaste.

"No. The rat is a skilled woman and the snake, although what she did to you was disgraceful and low, is a warrior who is out for blood. Kioko, you are not driven by violence or the need to shed blood. You are not a true warrior. Stop trying to be like one." Sesshomaru stated.

"What should I be, then? If I'm not a warrior, even though that's the sole reason I was created and brought to life and raised to think, what should I be?" Kioko questioned seriously. Sesshomaru looked away.

"Figure that out on your own time. Just stop trying to act tough. We all know you're not."

"Screw you! I am what I say I am! I'm the dog of the Zodiac warriors! Get over it!" Kioko barked impatiently.

"You don't think you could be anything else?" Sesshomaru asked out of curiosity. He heard Kioko mention that she wished she didn't have to be a warrior and fight, so why was she so bent about it now? Was it because she was hurt beyond the point of normalcy? Or perhaps her brush with death made her think she was weak and needed to toughen up?

"Being anything else right now at this point in time would be stupid. I thought you were smart and thought about these things?" Kioko grumbled as she turned around, walking away with a pout etched in her face. This time she was sure that pout would never leave it was so deep. Sesshomaru remained silent and let her go as far as she could before her body finally said, "I'm done!"

0000000000

"Well, at least she didn't struggle," Kioshi chirped after pulling a blanket over the still-sleeping Kioko. He and Sango were finally able to bandage her up to help hold in her insides so it didn't hurt as much. Sesshomaru brought her back, unconscious and in even more pain than when she left, no doubt, but something told the rabbit that Sesshomaru had nothing to do with that.

"She is so stupid." Inuyasha stated with a sigh, laying on his back with his eyes closed.

"She's having a crisis, leave her alone." Kioshi warned the half-demon.

"No, Kagome is the one having a crisis! She still hasn't woken up! Stop fussing over that idiot and help Kagome!" Inuyasha insisted loudly.

"How about you get off your fat ass and do something, bitch?" a voice growled as Shana made her way into the hut. Sesshomaru sat beside Kioko, Rin beside him. He smelled her coming miles away.

"What'd you say?" Inuyasha growled.

"You heard me. Anyway, I've got some good news and some bad news...good news is I'm not hungry and the bad news is...I forgot. Oh? She's still out, huh? Damn...I kicked her good, didn't I?" Shana chuckled as she towered over Kioko, examining her work.

"You're not funny." Sesshomaru finally said.

"Heh, tell me how you really feel, scooter...hit the deck," Shana said as she took cover. The roof of the hut was ripped off as hundreds of demons appeared from nowhere. No one, not even Sesshomaru, sensed them coming. How could she?

"Is this your idea of a joke?" Kioshi asked Shana with disbelief. Shana smirked as she sat down peacefully.

"I didn't do shit," she remarked.

AN- Well, this hasn't been the worst week of my life, but it has definitely made the Top Ten. So...much...pain! And so, Kioko has pain, too. Maybe we can mope together. Anyway, thanks again for the nice reviews and to answer someone's question...no, Kioko is not "dead." She had the scent of death and was...undead. When Shana kicked the water parasite out of her, Kioko's body regained its normal functions of liveliness. Wicked little things, eh?


	21. Chapter 21

I Don't Like What You Got Me Hanging From

Kioko whimpered when the slimy tentacle of a demon wrapped around her already injured body and began squeezing unmercifully. She watched as another tentacle grabbed Shana, who stayed unnervingly calm. The demon let out a snarl of dissatisfaction when Shana disappeared from its grasp, only to reappear beside its large, bulbous head, blaze-kicking it unmercifully.

"Um, help?" Kioko called out to Shana, who landed and turned around. Kioko heard the monster let out a defeated roar, releasing Kioko.

"Kioko, watch Rin!" Sesshomaru ordered, zooming past her to try out his brand new sword.

"Got it!" Kioko chirped obediently, turning around and seeing the young girl trying to take cover from the hoard of demons. Kioko forced her body to get moving and run to the girl, but another interesting scene interrupted her. A bull-like demon went galloping by, Shana on its back, one arm grasping its scraggly mane and the other hand flailing around freely.

"Yeehaw! Ridin' on, cowboy! Yippie-ki-yay, mother fucker! Haaahahaha!" Shana screamed out, rather enjoying herself and uncaring of the suffering and fear around her.

"I'm coming, Rin! Don't worry!" Kioko called out, transforming into her dog form and leaping over the dead demons. She saw Rin standing in the middle of the pile; her head hung low and something black surrounding her.

"Get back, mutt!" Rin hissed, thrusting her hands out and sending the black aura after Kioko. The dog braced herself, seeing as she couldn't dodge the close range attack. The dog warrior went flying backwards and landed in a small, irrigated canal.

"I thought I told you to watch her!" Sesshomaru hollered angrily at Kioko, who crawled out of the water and glowered at him.

"I did…I watched her slap the shit out of me!" Kioko yelled back, getting ready to shake the water from her, but then, she had an idea. Sesshomaru watched as the white dog dove back into the canal before surfacing again, now running on top of the water, which followed her sprint in a small wave form.

"Don't you dare hurt her, dog! Or I will end you!" Sesshomaru snarled as he chased after Kioko. Kioko ignored him and continued her charge. The wave that followed her engulfed her body entirely before she used the water to knock Rin off her perch. Kioko used the water to catapult herself in the air, a small horde of demons flying at her.

"Kioko, you fool!" Kioshi shouted frantically.

"Go, you crazy son of a bitch!" Shana hollered encouragingly. Kioko froze the water on her fur and turned herself into a spiky icicle. She then waited for the demons to surround her before firing the icicles from her body in all directions. The monsters were struck in different places, opening their snouts and screaming with pain. Kioko used the remaining water to help her land softly before she turned around, panting happily and tail wagging excitedly, as if asking, "Did I do a good job? Treat?"

"Nice job…I'm impressed," Kioshi said to her, patting her head softly. Kioko yipped in return.

"Too afraid to attack a little girl, Sesshomaru? That pitiful dog had enough guts to," the entity possessing Rin stated. The tone was blank, but Sesshomaru knew exactly who it was. Magatsuhi had come again.

"Back for another spanking, sissy-boy?" Shana asked aloud, approaching Rin with no problems at all.

"If you attack, you'll hurt the girl, not me!" Magatsuhi shouted, a little unnerved that she kept coming. He couldn't do much in Rin's body, which is why he brought the demons.

"Keep talking, maybe you'll give me a reason not to tear your ass up." Shana taunted, continuing forward.

"You would attack an innocent girl?" Magatsuhi asked.

"Hell yeah! Time for my ultimate attack, specially designed just for annoying little kids!" Shana laughed, now sprinting. Sesshomaru was also flying forward. He knew Shana would have no problem attacking Rin, but he couldn't live with himself if Rin would have to suffer death for a third and final time at his neglectful hands.

"Stop!" Sesshomaru barked. Shana reached Rin, grasped the front of the neck of the little girl's kimono, smirking with amusement the entire time.

"CHILD-ABUSE THROW!" Shana bellowed, launching Rin into the air. Sesshomaru immediately stopped his attack and turned around, intent on saving Rin, even if that meant saving Magatsuhi as well.

"What an awful thing to do! I've had enough of you!" Sango hollered, riding Kirara straight at Shana, weapon at the ready. Shana yawned and simply bent out from beneath her. Shana flipped flawlessly and landed on both feet, hands behind herself.

"Damn…she's good." Kioko sighed with envy.

"Unfortunately, she's better than us all." Kioshi grumbled. Shana chuckled when Miroku aimed his attacks at her, even opening his hellhole to try and suck her in.

"Oh yeah, forgot you did that," Shana stated uncaringly, resting her left hand on the hilt of her sheathed blade. The flow of time immediately began slowing, Miroku's hand opening in super slow motion. Sango and Kirara were coming back for another attack. The flow of time around Sango and Kirara sped up and Shana leapt backwards. She then let the time go normally and watched her work come together.

"Aaahh! Sango! Watch out!" Miroku screamed frantically when he suddenly realized that the cat demon and demon slayer were in his path.

"Miroku, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Sango hollered back with surprise. Kioshi quickly stepped in and flung a gust of wind at Miroku, knocking him down and saving Sango and Kirara from an unfortunate death.

"Ow…thanks!" Miroku coughed when he realized what happened.

"No problem! Get up!" Kioshi shouted, going after Shana. He knew he didn't stand a chance, but something about her made him want to try and kick her ass. She was agitation incarnate. Instead of trying to act serious, Shana was currently doing a little dance while approaching Sesshomaru and the possessed Rin.

"What is it that you want? Is this your way of stroking your already-huge ego?" Kioshi growled, his axes held defensively as he cut Shana off from the demon lord. Shana smirked as she kept marching.

"Put your left foot out, keep it all in place…work your way right into my face. Keep on stroking, stroke me! Stroke me, stroke me!" Shana sang, her toothy grin growing wider as her fangs elongated. Kioshi gasped when he saw the jagged, crimson red stripes tearing into her cheeks and hands. Her claws also grew longer and sharper and although she had sunglasses on, the red eyes were imminent.

"She…she transformed," Sesshomaru stated, turning his head from Rin. Great.

"Wonderful! Like she wasn't annoying enough!" Kioshi groaned, bracing himself for a beating. Shana stopped walking and hunched forward.

"We're going to have fun with this thing!" Shana chuckled, charging forward, her speed definitely increased. Kioshi inhaled deeply and decided to take this fight as seriously as possible. Shana's indifference and rough playfullness was how she threw her opponents off guard. She swung her hand powerfully, claws cancelling out Kioshi's axe attack. Shana's other arm responded and Kioshi did also with his other axe. They clashed together once more. Shana leapt over Kioshi to turn and attack from the back, but the rabbit warrior used his famous leg strength to jump and dodge her deadly lunge from behind. Shana's black boots dug into the ground as she stopped from sliding too far away. She turned and was met with Kioshi, swinging his left axe. Shana threw her right hand out and slapped the blade aside, her hand getting sliced in the process, but she didn't even notice, firing off her left fist directly into Kioshi's face.

"Gah! Damn it!" Kioshi snarled, recovering quickly and trying to hustle Shana into a close-range fight. He knew that was her specialty, but it was his, too. He stopped to catch his breath, panting slightly as Shana landed on top of a slightly demolished hut.

"What's the matter? You scared?" Shana asked, jumping slightly and kicking a blue flame at the rabbit. Kioshi sliced it away with his blades, leaping forward.

"Oh, Kioshi," Kioko whimpered when she realized that he wasn't fighting at his fullest. She knew he hadn't had the chance to rest too much, but something was off. He seemed to be moving slower. Shana didn't seem to be messing with the flows of time like she did before and she was fast, but Kioshi was, too.

"I suppose I'll kill the girl and let you have her back," Magatsuhi stated, smirking. Sesshomaru pulled Tenseiga out. Magatsuhi had to go…now! Sesshomaru frowned slightly.

"I am sorry, Rin." He whispered, leaping forward. He knew that her body wouldn't be able to take the force of the blow or the demon leaving her body violently. She was going to die no matter what he did.

"Kioko! Help me!" a voice screamed out. The dog's ears perked as her head turned to Rin. It was Rin's voice. She saw Sesshomaru's sword slicing downward and freaked.

"The canals!" Kioko barked, waving her head and watching the spout of water grip the demon lord's right ankle.

"Ah shit!" Sesshomaru snapped as he face-planted into the ground. He wasn't really expecting that to happen. He thought he had tripped himself for a moment. Kioko was seeing everything in slow motion. She could see the separate entity and Rin's pure white spirit. Kioko howled to the sky, calling out to Rin as she began sprinting forward, white paws hitting the ground thunderously.

"Wh-what is this?" Magatsuhi asked with surprise. The dog had a heavenly blue glow emitting from her as she charged at him. Not Rin, him. Kioko closed her eyes and hoped that it would work. Her large head connected with Rin's torso, but the little girl's pure soul and body were not affected by the dog's attack. Magatsuhi, on the other hand, felt it so hard that if he had kids and his kids had kids, they would feel it for the rest of their lives.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhhh! The light! The light burns! It's exactly like hers! Curse you!" Magatsuhi screamed with agony as his spirit was purged from the little girl's body. He quickly made his escape, but almost blindly, as the pain was so intense that it hurt him even without a body to feel it with.

"Kioko," Rin murmured as she fell forward, but the dog caught her and gently laid her on the ground. She had transformed into her human form, having tired most of her energy. Sesshomaru stood behind her and drilled his fist into the top of her head.

"Aaahhh! What was that for?" Kioko snapped, rubbing her head with her hands.

"That was for tripping me and not informing me that you could purge evil spirits from one's body! Your timing is awful!" Sesshomaru hollered angrily. He didn't even care who saw or heard him. He was pissed the fuck off.

"I didn't even know I could do it! I just did it!" Kioko shouted back defiantly. Sesshomaru's first response was another fist to her head.

"Ow! What did I do that time?" Kioko asked with agony, now keeping her hands on her head to prevent more blows.

"Nothing…except piss me off."

"I'm not doing it on purpose!"

"I care not."

"You're so mean!" Kioko cried out, tears falling from her eyes. Sesshomaru snorted and said nothing more, bending down and picking up Rin.

"Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Fuuuuuuuuck!" Kioshi hollered as he dodged lightning bolts and flames, just barely able to keep from getting fried. While everyone else was having a good old time killing lesser demons and trying to make a comedy duo, he was fighting the most irritating and difficult person they've ever run into. Even more irritating than Naraku because at least they could hit Naraku, whereas rarely any blows struck Shana.

"Kioshi, just kick her in the face!" Kioko called out encouragingly.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Kioshi bellowed back, thinking she was being a tactless smart ass. He quickly dove out of the way as a lightning bolt struck the ground he was just standing on.

"Man, everyone is being such a whiny bitch today," Kioko sighed. Another powerful force struck her in the head and she fell forward, letting out a few groans.

"You never know when to close your mouth," Sesshomaru stated, Rin cradled gently in his right arm, leaving his left one free to punish.

"You mad, bro?" Shana laughed, her fiery fists firing off one after another. She had moved in closer to Kioshi, trying to strike a few up-close flames to take him down sooner.

"NO! I AM NOT MAAAAAAAAAAAAD!" Kioshi hollered, sending out a gust of wind to extinguish the flames and try to slow her down, or hell, even hurt her a little bit. Even a tickle would make him feel better.

"Hahaha, could've fooled me! Don't rage-quit on me just yet!" Shana continued.

"Hold Rin," Sesshomaru ordered Kioko once the dog warrior was back on her feet and done moaning and groaning. Kioko cradled Rin gently and watched as Sesshomaru leapt lightning fast towards the fight. He lunged forward, poisonous claws at the ready, but Shana immediately stopped her attack on Kioshi and backed off, watching the poison melt the ground.

"Where have you been, Inuyasha?" Sango asked when the half-demon approached quickly.

"Taking Kagome home and away from danger! What's it to you?" Inuyasha barked back defensively. He saw Shana, Kioshi and Sesshomaru all fighting and immediately jumped in.

"The bitch is miiiiiiiiiine!" Inuyasha called out angrily. Sesshomaru turned around and held his arm out, clothes-lining his brother and laying him out flat. Kioshi had to chuckle a bit. Inuyasha literally ran into that one.

"Damn, he is stupid." Shana said aloud, hands on her hips. Sesshomaru turned and noticed that she was no longer transformed and was back to normal…her normal. Shana's head turned to the side, as if she heard something. She growled under her breath as she leapt away, disappearing in a red flash.

"I hate it when she does that," Kioshi grumbled, using the side of a hut to help himself stand.

0000000000

Kioshi sat on top of a hut that was lucky enough to not be destroyed. He had taken his armor off and left his axes inside. He stared up at the crescent moon and blinked. The rabbit looked around and listened carefully. No one was around. Everyone was asleep, finally, after the exciting day. He pulled his robes apart and looked down. A black, opened injury was just below his chest. It was from Naraku from a while ago. The demon caught him with one of his "specially-made" tentacles.

_'Let's see you hop now, rabbit. Heh, by the time your friends find me again, you'll be long gone.'_ Naraku's voice echoed in his head tauntingly. At first, Kioshi didn't believe him and went about his business, but the rabbit warrior found that the harder he fought, the more it sapped him. Especially that fight with Shana…it was exhausting for him.

"Did she single me out on purpose?" Kioshi asked himself. He realized that he picked the fight with her, but she knew his trigger. She put Sango in fatal danger and it was no secret that the rabbit was close with Sango.

"Damn…she got me." Kioshi said with a smile. He could do nothing but grin when he realized she was there to wear him down. Why? Who knew? Shana had motives that were strange. Stopping a fight because she was hungry. Fighting because there was absolutely nothing else to do. Burning a penis design into Inuyasha's face just because he was there and she could do it. She insisted Inuyasha started the fight physically, but she probably called him a few names, first.

"Well, Himeko, I will be joining you soon, love." Kioshi sighed, closing his robes and relaxing on his back, arms folded behind his head. He frowned when he heard something, sitting up and focusing his sensitive ears. He saw Kioko's white dog form leaving the hut, nose glued to the ground and tail held high.

"Hm," Kioshi hummed, transforming into his rabbit form and leaping from the roof, following the sound of the dog's paws quietly marching on the forest floor. He had known Kioko longer than anyone else, but he could never figure out what she would go after in the middle of the night. He used to think she would go chasing animals, then finding food and for the longest time, he swore that she had a thing going with Sesshomaru, although they treated one another like shit. He even went as far as thinking that the demon lord tricked her into such a relationship or possibly forced her, but she never showed any signs of such abuse.

"Oh," Kioshi quickly hid in a bush and watched as Kioko kept walking in a circle, sniffing the base of every tree. When she found one, she turned around and squatted.

"This land is my land, this land is my land, this land is my land, this land is my land," she sang to herself, marking her territory on a few trees and prancing off again. Kioshi scratched his head with his paw, bathing in utter confusion. She ran off to piss on trees? Dogs were strange. The rabbit followed her to see if she would do anything interesting or just continue marking her territory.

"This is mine, this is mine, mine," Kioko chirped, finding another, bigger tree and marking it happily. She then snickered to herself.

"He's going to be so mad I'm pissing all over his trees," Kioko giggled, running off once more. Kioshi sat still for a moment, flabbergasted at what just happened.

"She's…marking over his scent? What…the hell?" Kioshi stuttered, absolutely amazed. No wonder Sesshomaru was always beating the snot out of her. She was purposely irritating him. Or was it the other way around? He beat up on Kioko and now she was getting back at him?

"Whatever, this is funny," Kioshi snickered as he finally chased Kioko, using his nose and ears to track her. He also made a mental note to check trees before leaning against them ever again.

He found her again a few minutes later, but this time she was pawing at a round rock, rolling it back and forth curiously. She leaned down and sniffed it a few times before licking it. The white dog circled the rock and let out a slight whine of confusion. Kioshi sighed and decided it was time. He transformed into his human form, walking out of hiding and approaching her. Kioko looked at him, tail wagging wildly. Did he want to have an adventure with her?

"Hey friend," Kioshi said in a gentle voice, bending down and stroking her soft fur. Kioko immediately plowed into him, knocking him on his back and licking his face ruthlessly. It had been so long since they had a heart-to-heart.

"Hahaha! Play now!" Kioko insisted, playfully grabbing Kioshi's sleeve with her jaws and acting like she was about to tug him along.

"No, no, it's too late for that. I'll play tomorrow, alright?" Kioshi said, making sure his robes weren't pulled open to show his wound. Kioko let go and stared back with her big blue eyes, tail wagging.

"Promise?"

"Heh, I promise I'll play whatever you want to play tomorrow." Kioshi stated, holding his hand out. Kioko sat down placed her paw in his hand. She had seen people do that before when making promises.

"What're you doing out here if you don't want to play?" Kioko asked Kioshi, transforming into her human form and sitting beside her friend.

"I followed you just to make sure you weren't getting into trouble. I needed to talk to you alone, though," Kioshi said back. Kioko saw the serious expression on his face. The moonlight was dim, but there was still enough light to see.

"Hm? About what? Did I do something weird?" Kioko asked quickly. Kioshi held his hand up to silence any other questions from spilling. Kioko quickly closed her mouth and sighed. That meant it was something even more serious.

"Kioko, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for blaming you. You did what you had to do with Himeko. I think…I think she wanted you to put her out of that life." Kioshi began, his eyes never leaving Kioko's. Kioko finally broke the gaze and looked down sadly.

"I didn't even mean to. She made me." Kioko murmured.

"And I know that. I realize why she had me go clean out that temple we were going to move to next. She wanted me gone long enough to put her plan in action. She knew I would never and she knew you wouldn't know any better." Kioshi stated. Kioko leaned forward and Kioshi cocked an eyebrow, trying to get her to focus, but she continued inching closer and closer.

"Are you ever going to let me heal that or what?" Kioko questioned, pointing directly at the injury that hid beneath his robes. Kioshi stuttered slightly and opened his robes.

"But, there's nothing that will heal it, Kioko. It's…uh…permanent," Kioshi found himself unable to tell her it was killing him.

"Pfft," Kioko snorted, shoving Kioshi on his back and sitting on his stomach to keep him from struggling. She stretched her legs out to pin down his arms and Kioshi was freaking out slightly…and blushing horribly. Why did she have to be so clueless about such things.

"Kioko, what if someone see us?" Kioshi whispered furiously.

"What? I'm just helping! Quit your bitchin', woman!" Kioko snapped playfully. She placed her hand on the wound.

"Stop! Stop, stop! If you do that, you'll die! It's meant to kill me!"

"Shut up." Kioko replied uncaringly. She healed the wound and smiled as she patted the place on her body where it would have shown up…had she not been so fucking kick ass.

"Where did you…not even worth asking." Kioshi stated, exhaling with relief and staring up at the sky. Kioko leaned over his face and stared down curiously.

"Don't forget, you promised to play with me tomorrow." Kioko chirped.

"Yeah…get off me." Kioshi grumbled. He got sucked into playing games. Oh well. If it kept her happy and out of trouble, he would play along.

000000000000

Kioko sat on the floor, panting eagerly as she stared down at Kioshi. The rabbit warrior had yet to wake up. Kioko wanted to play now, but she didn't want to wake her friend either…so she settled with staring, drooling and wagging her tail.

"Now I would tell you about Boll Weevil, but that bug is just too scary. He's sittin' there all alone. I try to coach him out with chocolate pie, but he would not move a muscle, I tried…to make him see that the sun is shinning outside, make him see that the sun is shinning outside, make him see that the sun is shinning outside," Kioko sang, bobbing her head to the song inside. It was something she picked up from the modern world.

"Kioko, it's fine if you sit, but no singing." Kioshi grumbled.

"Can I hum?"

"No." The rabbit sighed.

"Aw…alright." The dog whined.

Kioshi finally woke up and began walking out of the hut. He had forgotten about his excited white dog friend behind him. Kioshi let out a yelp of surprise when Kioko bulldozed her way outside, no caring who was in the way. She ran to the open field and looked back, wagging her tail excitedly. Kioshi finally made his way to the field and smiled at her.

"Bunny form!" Kioko yipped.

"Oh, but, Kioko," Kioshi whined slightly, trying to talk her out of it.

"Bunny! Bunny, bunny, bunny, bunny!" Kioko insisted as she hopped every time she said "bunny."

"Alright, fine." Kioshi said, transforming into his white bunny form with the purple neckerchief. Kioshi's pink nose twitched a few times as he watched Kioko walk up to him. She leaned down and licked him multiple times before nudging him with her nose.

"Run!" she chirped. Kioshi dashed away at full speed, hearing Kioko's paws behind him. When she was right up on him, Kioshi made a sharp right. Kioko slid slightly, but was able to change direction easily and keep up with him.

Sango giggled as she watched the two racing around. Kirara mewed a few times, indicating she wanted in on the fun. Kioko barked invitingly. The more the merrier. Kirara transformed and began chasing Kioko, who was chasing Kioshi. It was an interesting scene, watching a giant cat chase a dog that was chasing a rabbit. It seemed a little mixed up.

"Well, at least Kirara is finally having some fun, no?" Miroku asked as he sat down.

"Yeah, she needs to have fun once in a while…you know what I just realized,"

"No. What?"

"All their names start with Ki. Kirara, Kioko, Kioshi." Sango chirped.

"Ah, KKK…sounds like a terrible group name." Miroku chuckled.

"I said Ki, not just K." Sango grumbled.

"My mistake."

When Kioko was done playing, she picked Kioshi's small form up in her mouth and pranced back to town, acting like she just caught the fastest rabbit ever to have lived. Truthfully, she never came close to catching him. Speed was never the problem. He was simply too agile.

"Alright, I played and I'm tired." Kioshi said, walking to the small hut that held the bath water.

"I'm taking one too!" Kioko chirped.

"No, you're not…at least not until I'm done."

"Why not at the same time?" Kioko asked curiously. Kioshi just stared back blankly before sliding the door closed. Kioko sat outside the door and howled with sadness that her friend didn't want to share a bath with her.

"Oh Kioko, stop! Go find something to eat!" Kioshi shouted with annoyance.

"Yum! Food! Fooooooood!" Kioko barked as she ran away to find some. Kioshi sank lower into the water, exhaling and making bubbles rise to the surface in front of his face. She just didn't get it sometimes. Kioshi sighed after rising from the water.

"I wonder…has she done that to Sesshomaru? Nah, he wouldn't let her bathe with him. Haha, silly thought." He chuckled to himself. Unbeknownst to him, she had done that and he did let her, but only for a moment.

000000000

Sesshomaru watched as Kioko playfully growled and shook her head while grasped onto the top part of Jaken's robes. He squawked and screamed at her demandingly to return his clothes to him, but Kioko continued to play. She got it lose from his small hands and giggled as she turned around, butt in the air and tail waving tauntingly. Jaken jumped, but Kioko dodged, letting him hit the ground.

"Kioko, return his robes." Sesshomaru demanded, now tired of hearing Jaken's squealing anger. Kioko immediately let go and let Jaken fly onto his back after losing balance and using his entire body strength to tug. Kioko trotted over to Rin, who was slowly waking up from her rest. Kioko's wet nose was instantly in her face, sniffing inquisitively before the tongue was unleashed. Rin giggled as Kioko continued showering her with affection, occasionally pawing at her to sit up and pet her. Rin finally sat up and hugged the fluffy ball with big blue eyes.

"Feel better?" Kioko asked Rin.

"Yup! All better!" Rin chirped. Kioko let out a happy bark.

"Play now! Haha, play now, play now!" Kioko insisted as Rin stood up and ran away to play.

AN- If for any reason you are curious as to the songs mentioned this chapter, I will name them. Shana was reciting lines from 'Stroke Me' by Billy Squire and Kioko was singing 'Boll Weevil' by the Presidents of the United States of America or PUSA for short. If Kioko were to have a favorite band, PUSA would definitely be it without a doubt. Their songs are always weirdly amusing and upbeat.

Oh and to answer to kiokokazehime369 's question, I had to look up something in the book I made up and mentioned in the book is ActionBitch's Law of Awesomeness. Now if I'm following this correctly, the story just got boring because I refuse to write direct romance (That's also a policy). I will, however, mention some that has happened or will happen, especially with the whole Inuyasha/Kagome and Miroku/Sango because that actually happens, but I will not directly write it…especially with OCs. Kioko is too naïve to know what "love" is…unless it's food or playtime. Kioshi kind of has his own issues with love at the moment. They are close buddies and nothing more. Kioko and Sesshomaru are Best "I hate you sometimes" Acquaintances at the moment. Romance is just not my cup of tea. No offense to you with this, but I just don't do romance.


	22. Chapter 22

Year of the Hellhound

"Who's there?" an old man asked when he heard a noise. It sounded like just a few of his tools fell over, but he held his dagger in his hand defensively. He looked around carefully and felt the cool breeze drift through, but it sent nothing but chills down his spine. He also noticed that there was a reddish tint to everything. He looked up in the sky and felt his stomach leap into his throat. The moon was blood red. This happened to him once, fifty years ago. On the night of the full moon, it was red for a small frame of time.

"P-Please, I'm just an old man, now. What could you possibly want from me now?" the man asked aloud, knowing it was listening. He heard a low and disgusting snarl and turned around, seeing a black figure with blazing red eyes standing before him, but it stayed completely still, as if waiting for an order.

"Get him." A voice whispered. The beast opened its mouth and leapt onto the old man, slashing his chest open before clamping its snout down over his mouth. The old man screamed and struggled for his life, his dagger slashing at the creature, but doing no damage. A white light surfaced from the old man's mouth and he went completely limp. The black monster backed off obediently as a figure walked over and grabbed the white light, placing it inside a small jar.

"Good dog." The voice chuckled. The moon's light reflected white once more and the demon dog and its master had disappeared from sight.

00000000000

"Inuyasha, what're you doing now?" Kagome asked curiously, seeing that he was on all fours, sniffing the ground.

"Looking for Naraku." He answered. Kioko had joined him in the sniffing party, but she wasn't looking for Naraku. She was just smelling because that's what she liked to do. Kagome covered her mouth with her hand, watching as the two "dogs" crawled around, sniffing the bases of trees and trotting around like they owned the place. It was hilarious.

"Stop copying me!" Inuyasha finally barked at Kioko, who stood still, front paw in mid-air as she stared back.

"Stop copying me." She replied peacefully. Inuyasha realized that she was posed exactly the same he was.

"Inuyasha, she's just trying to help. Quit being like that." Kagome giggled, trying to prevent another squabble.

"But I'm not looking for Naraku. I'm just trying to find a squirrel. It's around here somewhere," Kioko chirped innocently as she continued on her way, nose glued to the ground. Inuyasha sizzled for a moment, grumbling insults underneath his breath. Kagome slowly patted his shoulder to let him know everything was going to be alright.

"Hey! I think we found something!" a voice shouted from above. Kagome looked up and watched as the two-tailed cat demon landed. Sango and Miroku slid off her back and walked up to Kagome, who was almost shoved aside from the overly excited Inuyasha.

"Naraku?" Inuyasha asked harshly.

"We aren't sure. Apparently there have been quite a few killings these past few nights, though." Miroku answered with a shrug.

"Could've been one jealous human killing another." Inuyasha growled with distaste.

"Well, unless those humans have fangs and claws, then it's a good thing I'm not changing careers. I introduced myself as a demon exterminator and the village elder let me see one of the bodies. It was an old man who was killed last night and he had awful injuries to his chest and face…I could identify from the fang marks on his face that it was a big canine." Sango explained carefully.

"Maybe the old man was attacked by an big dog or a wolf? What kind of shitty lead is this?" Inuyasha griped.

"He has a point," Kagome sighed.

"Look, they were way too big for just a dog or wolf. I mean, look at Kioko's mouth," Sango bent down and pried Kioko's jaws open to show them.

"Point?" Inuyasha asked as he and Kagome bent down to look.

"See how big her mouth is and if she bit down on that old man, she could do some damage, but the bite marks were twice the size of Kioko's jaws and she's a big dog." Sango finally stated, closing Kioko's mouth and petting her head to thank her.

"So some type of demon dog?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes," Sango answered.

"Hellooooooo! Not Naraku!" Inuyasha screamed back at the human girl, who simply clonked him on the head with her weapon.

"It could possibly be one of Naraku's incarnations. Why not look into it?" Sango pointed out. Kagome nodded. She had a point, too.

"Let's check it out and maybe we can help these poor people," Kagome chirped.

"Well, there's another piece of information that we forgot to add in that seemed quite interesting," Miroku said aloud, his tone quite dark as he stared at the ground.

"Yeah? What is it?" Kagome asked curiously.

"All of the victims were each older people and strangely enough, each victim was killed on the night of their seventieth birthday." Miroku explained.

"Wow, that's really strange," Kagome whispered.

"It sounds like a demon is here for souls. My cursed hand came from my ancestor making a deal with Naraku, only to be double-crossed. Now my bloodline is cursed until he is killed. Perhaps Naraku has made deals with others,"

"I wouldn't put it past the bastard. Fine, we'll check it out." Inuyasha finally agreed.

00000000000

"Good day, I am the village elder and thank you, Lady Sango, for deciding to come back and help us with our problem." The village elder, who looked super young, chirped.

"You're the elder?" Inuyasha asked abruptly, pressing his clawed finger into the man's chest. The man shivered and his face went pale.

"W-Well, no one else who is old wanted to step up after our other elder was killed, so I was appointed as the leader until we can get things settled." The man explained.

"Makes since…Inuyasha back off." Kagome hissed, slapping his arm away from the innocent man.

"Well, now that we're here, we need to get straight to business. This monster, whatever it is, seems to have a preference…who is the next person to turn seventy?" Miroku asked.

"Um, that would be Saburo. He's staying at the inn right now because his house is in the outskirts of the village and he wants to be safe." The village leader explained, pointing at the tallest building. The group decided to go investigate and figure out what to do.

00000000000

"He said that he thanks us for our kindness, but if a dog is the killer, whether it be stray or demon, he doesn't want the help of a dog." Sango explained as she walked outside where her friends waited. They all tried to approach him, but when he saw Inuyasha and Kioko, he instantly screamed and ran for cover.

"What an idiot! I'll go talk some sense into the bastard! Move!" Inuyasha barked as he charged into the inn, only to be sat by Kagome.

"Barging in won't do anything! We'll just have to help him whether he wants it or not!" Kagome stated defiantly. Kioko's tail stopped wagging as she cocked her head to the side.

"What's wrong with dogs? Why is this town hatin' so much?" Kioko asked angrily.

"They're just scared, Kioko. Don't take it personally." Sango reassured her.

"I suppose we can set up guard posts…someone can stay here and the rest of us can fan out and cover the village's outskirts." Sango suggested, pointing around to some of the surrounding hills as possible look-out posts.

"It would be nice if the other Zodiac warriors weren't such lazy asses and the ones who do want to help are weak," Inuyasha commented.

"Speaking of, where is Kioshi? I haven't seen him." Kagome asked curiously.

"He said something about giving Sesshomaru a piece of his ass…or was it axe? I wasn't really listening." Kioko answered as she lazily scratched her ear with her hind leg. Kagome and Sango both snickered as they shook their heads.

"I'm pretty sure it was axe, Kioko." Miroku sighed.

"Why give Sesshomaru a piece of his axe when he can cut off a piece of Sesshomaru's ass and give it back to him?" Kioko asked with slight attitude. Kagome and Sango squealed as they muffled their laughter. As hilarious and stupid as the statement was, Kioko did have a point. It made sense that way, too…sadly.

"You're such an idiot, you know that?" Inuyasha asked Kioko, crossing his arms and not the least bit amused. He was surprised that his brother had yet to kill the dog warrior, but he had his suspicions about their relationship, too. Kioko claimed that they were friends and Sesshomaru claimed that they were allies until Naraku was found and killed and then they were going to fight once and for all. He had a feeling that his brother liked Kioko a little more than he led on. Even Inuyasha had a hard time hating her, even though she could be annoying and was dumber than a box of rocks at other times…she was just too cute to hate.

000000000

It was now the middle of the night and the moon was half full, its light shinning down on the Earth. Kagome and Inuyasha were stationed at the inn, protecting the assumed next victim. Kioshi finally showed up and was hopping around the streets in bunny form, staying hidden as best as possible. Sango was north, just outside of the village, sitting in the trees with Kirara and Miroku was south in the hills. Kioko had run off and told everyone that she would be around.

"Hm? Inuyasha, what's wrong?" Kagome whispered when she noticed the dog demon was staring out the window, straight into the sky.

"Look," he said to her. She saw the red tinted light pour in and she looked up, seeing the full red moon.

"That's weird," Kagome said.

Sango and Kirara prepared themselves when the red light fell over the Earth, as if marking it as the next target. Kirara hissed and transformed when she heard the distant howl of a hound on a mission.

"Here it comes," Sango whispered.

Miroku turned around when he heard thunderous paws approaching from behind. He saw the black creature with deep, red eyes charging up, but it ran past him as if he didn't exist. He ran after the creature, panting when he realized it was a pretty big hound. It definitely was not an ordinary dog.

"Kagome, get your bow and arrow ready! Let's go!" Inuyasha said as he ran out of the room, Kagome right behind him. They ran outside and looked around, feeling the cold breeze slowly drift through the village. They heard a vicious howl and saw the black, shadowy creature approaching. Inuyasha pulled his sword out and aimed it.

"Hold it right there!" Inuyasha demanded. The shadow dog stopped its charge immediately. It stood, frozen with its red eyes blazing straight into Inuyasha's golden ones.

"They cannot hurt you. Retrieve it!" a voice hissed. The demon dog's pointed ears twitched as it began snarling, slowly inching its way towards Inuyasha and Kagome. Kagome aimed her bow and waited for it. She could see hellish-looking horns sprouting from the sides of its temples, almost like bullhorns. It also had similar spikes sticking out from its shoulders, hindquarters and the backs of each leg. The dog howled as it charged right at Inuyasha and Kagome. The young girl shot her arrow, but it flew straight through the dog as if it were made of shadows. Inuyasha's blade did the same. The black dog fazed straight through the wall of the inn. Inuyasha and Kagome quickly ran inside, hearing Saburo's bloodcurdling scream when the hound slashed into his chest. It bit down over his face and soon the white light emitted from his mouth. The hellhound snatched the soul inside its mouth and ran through the wall.

"Damn it!" Inuyasha snapped when he realized they were too late.

Kioshi was hot on the hellhound's tail and before the dog had realized it, Kioshi transformed into his giant rabbit warrior form and slashed his axe at it. The creature let out an agonized howl when the blade made a certain cut into its skin. The white light flew from the dog's mouth and towards the trees where it was placed inside the jar of the dog's master.

"Our business is done for the night…come." Someone whispered. The hellhound backed away before fading away with the red tint of the moonlight. The light was now its original, pure color and the night was now calm.

"Damn," Kioshi groaned.

000000000

The next morning, everyone in the village crowded around as Saburo's mutilated body was carried out from the inn, covered by a straw mat. People were now coming up with theories of their own and wondered if they had angered a god or a spirit of some sort.

"What happened last night?" the village leader asked Sango.

"Our weapons couldn't harm it, sir." Sango stated.

"Not even my purification arrow did anything." Kagome added on.

"Well, that's not entirely true…my axes struck the dog with no problem, but it didn't act injured. I mean, it howled, but nothing else." Kioshi explained, holding up one of his axes. It was the first time Kagome actually truthfully looked at the axe. Its handle was gilded and white, the blade was gray with purple designs draw in. They resembled gusts of wind.

"So you can hit it, but not kill it?" the village leader asked.

"So far, that's my assumption." Kioshi answered.

"Well, it also did something weird last night…Inuyasha yelled at it to stop and it finally realized we were talking to it, so it stopped and just stood there like a statue…then its ears twitched and it ran straight through the walls, killed Saburo and left." Kagome pointed out.

"Also, when I struck it, a white light exited its mouth and flew into the forest…if I didn't know any better, I would assume it was Saburo's soul." Kioshi stated.

"That would explain the bite marks over the victims' mouths…so it's not a demon dog at all. It's a hellhound." Sango quickly insisted as she stepped forward.

"What's the difference between a demon dog and hellhound?" Kagome asked with a frown.

"A demon dog, obviously, can be killed and has a will of its own whereas a hellhound is usually considered the messenger and delivery system of Hell. In other words, it has a master or an owner." Sango explained knowingly.

"So how do we stop the messenger of Hell?" Inuyasha asked with a grumble.

"Well, that's the thing…no one really knows. Kagome's arrow didn't work because the hellhound wasn't doing anything wrong. It was doing what it was told and if something in Hell has enough powerful pull, then there may not be a whole lot we can do about it." Sango sighed, crossing her arms.

"It's killing innocent people! What do you mean it's doing nothing wrong?" the village leader asked loudly.

"Ha! Innocent people my ass!" someone shouted. Everyone turned around and saw an old woman, hunched over with a cane and long, untamed gray hair.

"Baba, you old hag! Go home!" the leader shouted back.

"My name is Miu and I know for a fact that none of those so-called victims were innocent! They were selfish and rotten up until their last moments!" Miu stated, waving her cane wildly.

"What do you mean you know for a fact?" Kagome asked suspiciously.

"I turned seventy three weeks ago and it didn't come for me! Saburo made a deal fifty years ago yesterday to live long and comfortably! Why else would he abandon that nice piece of land out there? Hahahaha!" Miu cackled as she turned around and walked away, knowing the youngsters would follow.

0000000000

"The village elder's wife, Yui, was my twin sister. When we both turned twenty, we were both already married and had children. That night, she told me that she wished she could be rich and everyone look to her…at that moment, the moon turned red and a tall, dark figure appeared with a cold breeze. He said he would be willing to give her just that in return for something, but there was a catch…he didn't want it until fifty years later." Miu explained as she stared into the fire.

"What did she give to him? Her soul?" Sango asked. Miu shook her head in the negative.

"Her husband's soul. When she realized that it came true and that the demon held strong to his word, she fled. I have no idea where she is now."

"Wait, so instead of yours, you can just tell the demon to take someone else's soul?" Kagome asked with horror.

"No just someone else's soul…someone close. When they married, her husband said to her, "Our souls are now shared." If only he knew what that would get him into…poor bastard."

"So, since he said that, he practically gave her permission over his soul?" Miroku asked, completely astounded that it was even possible.

"Had it been turned around, he could have done the same to my sister. One of the other victims, the one killed before Saburo, was always wishing he could find a beautiful girl to marry. One random day, a pretty girl came along and they wed almost instantly. They weren't even married long enough to have children when she died in a horrible accident." Miu sighed.

"This demon comes to people on their twentieth birthday, practically grants them one wish in return for their soul in fifty years…I don't think we're dealing with Naraku. I think it's someone much more dangerous." Kioshi pointed out.

"Well, whoever it is, they are gone now. Saburo was the last one to turn seventy…unless other people made deals on other birthdays." Miu murmured.

000000000000

The group decided to stay one more night and make sure that the hellhound wouldn't come back. It never showed. The moon remained its pure white color and no cold breezes. It startled them that someone as dangerous as that was walking around with an invincible hellhound as their errand runner, but what could they do? They had no other leads nor did they have the time to chase down more clues.

"As long as they stay the hell out of my way, there's no problem." Inuyasha stated smugly as they left the village the next day.

"Oh Inuyasha," Kagome sighed hopelessly. Why did he feel the need to get so arrogant about things?

"Not to mention that we have no business messing with the workers of Hell. Demons are one thing, considering they are in our world, but if you make a deal with one that is a higher-up in Hell, they pretty much can do whatever they want to do in our world until the deal is done." Sango announced.

"Even in the demon world there are lesser demons and the boss demons…just like it is every place else." Kagome muttered.


	23. Chapter 23

Teamwork

Kioko watched the battle before her, tail wagging happily. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were always fun to watch because they were intense, but neither one would actually kill the other, so there was nothing wrong with loving a good fight. She would occasionally stand and almost jump in, but she knew she wouldn't be able to keep up with both of them.

"Inuyasha! Sit!" Kagome screamed, realizing that Sesshomaru was going for the kill. Inuyasha's body plowed into the ground, Sesshomaru's attack missing. He landed and glared at Kagome, who aimed an arrow at him.

"I would like to think you're more mature because you're older," Kagome snapped, not backing down when Sesshomaru approached her uncaringly.

"Grrr! Get away from her! Kioko, get him!" Inuyasha hollered, trying to get back to his feet. Kioko stood, but didn't move. Sesshomaru merely walked past Kagome, saying nothing to anyone. Suddenly, Sesshomaru leapt to the side, narrowly dodging a blue flame that struck the ground with a violent force.

"You," Sesshomaru growled, hand reaching for his sword as Shana strolled up, dressed in her usual black attire, sword at her side.

"Yeah, shut up. Where's Sounga?" Shana spat impatiently. Even with her sunglasses on, her bad mood was obviously written on her face. Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly at the mention of that accursed sword's name. What could she possibly want with it?

"Ha! Looks like you're late to the party, bitch! I destroyed the spirit that lived in Sounga and I sent that piece of shit into Hell!" Inuyasha laughed haughtily.

"I'm pretty sure Sesshomaru did that, too." Kagome added in, noticing that Sesshomaru's death-glare was aimed in that general direction.

"You two did what? How stupid are you?" Shana asked as she spat a flame into the sky along with her rants.

"What could you possibly want with Sounga? You are merely a half-breed. There is no way you could wield it even if it were still a part of this world." Sesshomaru stated snidely. Shana grinned as she crossed her arms.

"Has nothing to do with blood, dumbass. So now it's in Hell? Oh well, a slight detour, nothing major." Shana sighed as she turned around, being met with Sesshomaru landing in front of her, still as serious as ever.

"You're a fool to think that I will let you retrieve it after I spent time and energy casting it into Hell!" Sesshomaru spat, ripping his newest sword out and making Shana giggle slightly.

"Since when do I drop what I'm doing to convenience others? Get out of my sight, man-bitch." Shana demanded with a snicker. Sesshomaru swept his sword at her neck, but she fluidly dodged and landed on a tree branch.

"Hey, Shana, I have a question," Kioko stated randomly, standing in front of Sesshomaru and making the demon lord stop his attack…for now.

"What?" Shana asked.

"Can you please be nice?" Kioko asked innocently. Shana's face contorted and showed her newest emotion…furious.

"Fuck you!" Shana barked, punching a flame at Kioko. Sesshomaru grabbed the dog-girl and leapt to the side, dropping her like a bad habit and returning to his most recent pleasure…fighting Shana. She pulled her blade out and the two went at it and not in the good, dirty way, either.

"You worthless bitch! Just die!" Sesshomaru hollered.

"Kiss Inuyasha's ass, kiss my ass, kiss your ass and fuck off!" Shana roared. Both fighters' swords collided powerfully, sparks flying and the clanging sounds of metal sharp in everyone's ears.

"She's mine! Back off!" Inuyasha shouted, getting in on the action and cutting down a tree when trying to hit Shana.

"What the hell did that tree ever do to you, asshole?" Shana taunted, ducking under a branch and twisting around another tree to avoid Sesshomaru's poisonous claws. The demon's claws raked the bark of the tree, melting it away and exposing the tree's inner skin. Shana swung back around and kicked him in the back, knocking him forward. Sesshomaru quickly regained balance and spun around, his green whip lashing out and striking Shana in the chest.

"Mine!" Inuyasha howled, jumping and slashing his blade downward. Shana leaned up and blocked with her sword's blade.

"Dude…back OFF me!" Shana's rage caused the heat around her to intensify and ignite, exploding and sending Inuyasha flying, but not quite injured because of his robes. Sesshomaru waited for Shana to get back to her feet. He wanted to beat her fair and square. Plus, dirty tactics were never his thing. Shana held her sword with both hands, the blade pulsing before turning red. She slashed the air above her and leapt into the portal. Sesshomaru leapt in after her, not caring who followed.

"Shana, stop! You don't know what that sword is capable of!" Kagome hollered, clinging onto Inuyasha tightly. She saw the spiky-haired girl ahead, but not far.

"Whoa, trippy," Kioko snickered as she rolled in circles over and over again.

"I know exactly what it's capable of! That sword was made for a bitch like me!" Shana called back. Kagome groaned as she lightly slammed her head into Inuyasha's shoulder.

"It's like talking to a brick wall," Kagome mumbled.

"And you call me stubborn," Inuyasha replied. Sesshomaru kept quiet, but he was closing in on Shana. He decided to do it. Sesshomaru flew forward and slashed, his claws digging into her back and the smell of blood instant. Shana let out a surprised scream, but she quickly recovered and spun around, thrusting her hands out. Sesshomaru was sure that had he eaten earlier, he would have shit himself. The roaring blue flames blasted him and it was one of the most intense hits that had ever struck him. It rivaled that of the Tetsusaiga's Wind Scar at point-blank and full power. The difference was that Tenseiga saved him back then, but this time it was having a lazy day.

"Oh no! Sesshomaru!" Kagome called out worriedly. He was an asshole, but he had saved her once…twice.

"Got him!" Kioko opened her arms and caught him, but she wrapped her arms around him from behind tightly. Sesshomaru struggled to get free, but realized she wasn't letting go.

"Let go! I'm fine!" Sesshomaru growled.

"How about we fight when we land?" Kioko suggested, pointing out that aerial battles with a girl who could shoot fire from everywhere wasn't the best idea. Sesshomaru felt his pride explode and fall lamely to the ground when he heard Kagome and Inuyasha snickering and whispering comments to one another. He was positive he heard, "They're cute," and that pissed him off.

The small group finally landed in Hell and looked around curiously, gaining a sense of their surroundings. Sesshomaru blinked when Kioko quickly snuggled up to him and whined.

"I don't like it." Kioko shivered. Sesshomaru inhaled through his nose and deeply regretted it when the scent of burning, rotting corpses that had been shit on entered his nostrils. It definitely stalled him and made him not care about Kioko basically becoming one with him at the moment.

"Man, this place smells like ass," Inuyasha commented, his sleeve covering his nose. Even Kagome, who was the only human, was nauseated by the smell. She pinched her nose shut and gagged.

"Did she transport us to Hell or the world's sewer?" Kagome asked.

"We are in Hell and I will be damned if I stand here and let Shana undo my plans," Sesshomaru growled and then hating himself more for making a pun without realizing it until after he said it. He just wasn't winning today and it was wearing thin on him.

"Well, if this is your way of stopping me, you should probably curl up and die and let me do it! Hahahaha!" Shana called from a distance, sprinting across the dark, bloodstained land of Hell. Sesshomaru flew after her, Kioko just hanging on for the ride and basically riding piggy-back style. She didn't even want to stand on the ground, for fear she would smell like this place forever.

"What is she…whatever! Let's go!" Inuyasha demanded, figuring he would ask questions later. Kagome leapt onto his back and he followed closely.

"Damn," Shana growled, knowing they were closing in on her. She needed a diversion and she needed it fast. She also needed to know where the fuck she was going. She had no idea where in the Hell it was. Shana then giggled at her pun and decided to try to have as much fun as possible.

"I refuse to let you find it!" Sesshomaru snapped, swinging his hand. The green whip lashed out and caught Shana's leg. The half demon girl tripped, but she flipped forward onto her hands and then back onto her feet, never missing a beat as she continued running.

"Let me try," Kioko suggested, throwing her hammer. Shana heard the chains and ducked, jumping out of the way as the war hammer barely missed her head.

"Hahaha! What were you trying to hit?" Shana howled insultingly. Sesshomaru growled.

"Hang on," he said aloud, eyes turning red as his demonic aura swirled around him and Kioko. He took another leap into the air, falling back down in his demon dog form. He took another leap and landed in front of Shana, cutting her path off. Sesshomaru barked threateningly, stepping forward.

"Down boy!" Shana shouted, swinging her hand in the same manner as Sesshomaru would, her blue flame whip lashing across the dog's sensitive nose. Kioko reared up from his white fur, tossing her hammer. This time, Shana caught it and pulled it, tugging Kioko along with it. Kioko let out a surprised yelp, but she landed on her feet, charging forward to combat with Shana. Sesshomaru recovered quickly and waited for Kioko to move before unleashing his poisonous breath.

"Come at me," Shana grumbled with a smirk. She stood still and waited for Kioko to get close enough. Kioko threw a punch and Shana grabbed her arm, twisting it until she heard and felt the snap. Kioko let out a scream, but Shana wasn't in the mood for that shit…so she gave Kioko a powerful, blazing uppercut into the jaw. The dog-girl landed on her back, almost unconscious, but Shana stamped the ground and punched a flame, striking Kioko and pretty much ending her for a few days. Sesshomaru lunged, but Shana quickly jetted away, across the land. Sesshomaru would have followed, but Kioko needed attention. He transformed back into his humanoid form and knelt down beside her.

"You fool," Sesshomaru whispered, spotting the massive burn under her chin and around her face. Kioko was knocked out. Had she not been breathing, Sesshomaru would have mistaken her as dead.

"What happened to her? Kioko!" Kagome screamed frantically as she ran up. She knelt down and quickly examining her face.

"Wow…way to help her out, Sesshomaru." Inuyasha growled at his brother distastefully. Sesshomaru stood and kept his eyes on Kioko.

"She practically volunteered to be obliterated. There's nothing I can do to stop that level of idiocy." Sesshomaru stated before flying away and following Shana's scent, which wasn't easy when this place smelled awful.

"What is the matter with him? Geez! It's called chivalry!" Kagome shouted with irritation. She wondered why Sesshomaru went out of his way, spending energy and time, just to make himself not look like a good guy. She also wondered if he realized that if he just went with his instinctual reactions, he would spend LESS energy and time, seeing as all he bitched about was wasting those two main things.

00000000000

Shana had found a group of oni and she quite literally jumped into their party and stomped around, burning them until she had one left and he was the leader. She stepped on his chest and plowed her fist into his ugly face.

"Where is Sounga?" Shana asked nicely, smiling invitingly.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" the oni cried out. Shana drilled her fist into his face, leaving a burn mark.

"Where is Sounga? Just answer me and I'll let you go." Shana pointed out.

"I-I don't know! If I did, I would be the ruler of Hell, sitting in a palace!"

"Worthless." Shana growled, setting him ablaze and crossing her arms as she thought of another way to find it. She wondered if the Devil knew.

"Or better yet…he has it." Shana chuckled, jumping away to pay a visit to the one being who influenced her when she was younger. According to him, when she last spoke to him, everything she does, says, receives and learns is because of him. Shana, on the other hand, thinks he is just jealous because she's more feared by people because she can actually physically punch them.

"Hm?" Shana stopped moving entirely when her nose picked up a scent. It was faint, but she knew it was Sesshomaru's scent…but it smelled of decayed flesh. In other words, he had to be a corpse for this scent to be a possibility. Shana wondered if this was a trick by him somehow, but she remembered that Sesshomaru was pretty straightforward and hated tricks. She decided to check it out just to see what was going on. She hated being clueless, even with small things.

Sesshomaru picked up a fresh scent of Shana's and grimaced when he found the slaughtered and well-done oni demons' corpses. If there was one thing he could say about her, it would be that she was absolutely ruthless. He also made a promise to himself to never be beaten down by her like these demons were. A familiar scent hit him and he froze. It was his own scent and the other scent was Shana's coming from the same direction.

"Damn!" Sesshomaru barked as he immediately picked up his pace. When he (and Inuyasha) sent Sounga packing, they also sent Sesshomaru's left arm that had been hacked off by Inuyasha earlier and then found and used by Sounga. Basically, his old arm had to be nearby Sounga. Had Shana found it already?

Shana sat on a rock, her arms crossed as she stared at her discovery. It was an arm. It was Sesshomaru's left arm, to be exact. But he had his left arm, so what the hell was this? His old one? Was he part gecko? Shana cocked her head to the side, still observing the emaciated and disgusting arm. What did this mean? It was almost as confusing and astounding as a double-rainbow was to a hippie. She stood and turned around, leaping down and deciding to check around. Did someone eat him already? They hadn't even been there for eleven minutes…maybe they had. She spotted something out of the corner of her eye. There, sticking out of the ground was a sword. It had an eerie gleam to it that seemed to hypnotize her slightly, but Daiki pulsed, pulling her back into control.

"Ah, the infamous Sounga…fun." Shana stated, pulling Daiki from its sheath and resting its blade on Sounga's blade. Daiki pulsed and turned red as it began sucking the red aura from Sounga. When Daiki was finished absorbing, Shana examined her blade closely to make sure nothing went wrong.

"So, you found it," Sesshomaru said as he approached. Shana pointed at his arm with her sword.

"Is that yours?"

"It was."

"So does this mean you can bud different limbs? If so, bud yourself a dick and a set of balls…and better legs. Took you forever." Shana retorted.

"Why don't you wield Sounga, Shana? Show me how strong you are," Sesshomaru wanted her to lose control. What better way to die than to lose control of yourself and consciously know it…and then be killed. Shana sniffed.

"I'm no longer interested in it. I mean, look at it…it's so ugly and I'm sure it could scare away my bunny slippers, but my sword is way better." Shana stated with a grin. Sesshomaru hated that grin. He ripped his sword out and swung it, sending out a wave of demonic energy to kill her. Shana yawned as she held her sword, which began glowing red as a red orb appeared above its tip.

"I-Impossible," Sesshomaru gasped when he realized that Shana was using Sounga's main attack. She swung her sword and the orb turned into a vicious twister that easily engulfed Sesshomaru's attack. Tenseiga began glowing blue and protected its owner from harm, but it couldn't protect Sesshomaru's peace of mind. This bitch could now use the Dragon Twister with her own sword on her own time…just hand her the world on a silver platter, now. The demon lord panted and looked at Shana, who was also panting, but very happy with her new attack. She slashed the air above her and leapt into the warp, transporting back to wherever she wanted. Sesshomaru wanted to follow, but he quickly remembered Kioko and turned around to fetch her first.

00000000

Inuyasha pouted as he carried Kioko on his back, Kagome beside him whining about how much the place stunk. Inuyasha knew it was smelly, but he couldn't do anything about it.

"Hey, is that Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked, seeing a white blur approaching.

"Yeah…wonder what's up," Inuyasha grumbled. Sesshomaru landed in front of him and peeled Kioko from his brother's back before kicking Inuyasha in the stomach and flying away with the dog-girl. Kagome just stood in silence. What was going on?

"Bastard!" Inuyasha barked, grabbing Kagome and following his brother as fast as he possibly could. Sesshomaru found the warp hole and leapt into it. If he had let Kioko stay with Inuyasha and Kagome, she would have been stuck in Hell for the rest of her life and when she died, she would still be there. Unfortunate…and something he believed Kioko didn't deserve.

00000000

"So you just let him fly away with her while she's out cold?" Kioshi asked Inuyasha and Kagome, holding back his freak-out temper. The two looked at one another and nodded.

"Yeah, no big deal. He won't hurt her." Inuyasha replied with a shrug, walking away uncaringly.

"I think he really likes her as a companion. Don't worry, Kioshi." Kagome said as she patted the rabbit warrior's shoulder. He sighed and shook his head. He just wondered if Sesshomaru would tend to her wounds or not.

0000000000

Kioko found her senses returning to her as she stirred from her sleep. She kept her eyes closed because her eyelids weighed so much, but her nose twitched at the smell of fish being cooked over an open fire. Her ears could pick up on a waterfall that wasn't close, but wasn't far, either. Her skin tingled with relief as a cool breeze crept over her. She realized how dry her mouth was and decided to open her eyes and find some water.

"Whoa," Kioko grumbled when she opened her eyes, realizing it was dark out, but the campfire was blaringly obvious. She blinked when she saw that no Rin or Jaken were around. No Sesshomaru, either. So who did this? Kioko sighed and looked down, her eyes widening when she recognized the robe that she was wearing. It was the same one Sesshomaru wore…the white one with red floral designs! She also saw that she was using Sesshomaru's fluffy cloak as a pillow. What the FUCK was happening? Kioko whimpered as she glanced around quickly. She hadn't been this confused since that one time Kioshi tried to explain the process of "sex" to her. This thing went in that thing and the people had to be somewhat naked and it hurt, but felt good at the same time. Kioko just shook her head and decided that Kioshi (and everyone else who had sex) was just out of their minds and depraved.

"Calm down. I could hear your heartbeat a mile away." Sesshomaru demanded as he appeared with a shorter-sleeved and more fitted cream-colored robe on his torso. Kioko figured it was the one he wore beneath the floral one. He also had set his armor and swords beside a tree, so he was looking a bit too casual.

"Am I dead?" Kioko asked, wondering if this was a twisted dream she was having right before dying. If it was, she wasn't sure if she could pass on happily or not. Sesshomaru sat down and mindlessly threw a twig into the fire, his golden eyes resting on her.

"If you are, why would this be your version of Heaven or Hell?" Sesshomaru asked bitterly.

"Good point." Kioko sighed.

"Your clothes and armor were scorched and broken beyond repair…in case you are wondering why you are wearing my clothes," Sesshomaru stated, grabbing a stick that had a perfectly cooked fish on it. He bit into it and watched Kioko.

"Nope. Wasn't wondering about that…ooh, food!" Kioko crawled forward, but her right arm locked up as a sharp pain shot through her body. Kioko face planted and groaned.

"Your arm was broken." Sesshomaru announced.

"Yup, I figured."

"And you're also burned quite badly."

"Uh, yeah, noticed that one too," Kioko hissed, finally grabbing her fish on a stick with her left arm and biting into it hungrily. Sesshomaru continued to watch her with interest. She was so lighthearted. He wondered if she was ever depressed.

"I have a question for you…be serious about answering it," Sesshomaru announced. Kioko devoured the last of her fish; bones and all as she munched and crunched with her cheeks puffed out and blue eyes wide with curiosity. She nodded to let him know she understood.

"Why are you so bouncy all the time? Is there ever a time where you are calm and…less annoying?" Sesshomaru tried to think of a better way to put it, but it was what it was. Kioko swallowed her food and cleared her throat.

"Well, why wouldn't I be? I mean, there's no reason to be all mean or sad. Why are you always mean?"

"I am not. I am neutral and truthful."

"Oh…well, if I were Lord Sesshomaru, I'd be super stoked!" Kioko chirped.

"Really?" Sesshomaru asked, thinking she was being sarcastic.

"Yup! I'd whip my dick out and be like, "Wooo! Yeah! What now, bitches?"" Kioko definitely overshot her meaning, but she was sure the point got across. Sesshomaru just stayed quiet for a moment and blinked.

"Don't ever swap bodies with me." Sesshomaru finally said. Kioko giggled and shrugged.

"Why don't you ever do something crazy like that? It's fun." Kioko questioned. Sesshomaru reached for his second helping of fish, biting into it before deciding to answer.

"I'm not here to have fun." He replied.

"Well…that's ridiculous. Have you ever had any fun? I mean, other than fighting people?"

"When I was younger, yes."

"Why not now?"

"I have an agenda and I do not have time for fun." Sesshomaru stated seriously.

"But if you had time?" Kioko pressed on. She just wanted him to admit he liked having fun. Who the fuck didn't? Even Shana loved having fun.

"I suppose I would." Sesshomaru finally said. He saw Kioko's entire mood ignite with happiness as she smiled. He knew he should have lied.

"Honestly, what would you do for fun? You're so boring most of the time," Kioko stated, still in happy mode. Sesshomaru pouted. He considered that an insult. Even worse, she was smiling and practically bouncing in place when saying it. Sesshomaru finished his last fish and leaned back, using his hands to prop himself up. He felt his hand brush a rock and suddenly a thought hit him.

"I would do this," Sesshomaru said quickly as he grabbed the rock and threw it, nailing Kioko in the forehead. She flinched and rubbed the spot where it struck her.

"Ow…jerk." Kioko groaned.

"See? That's fun." Sesshomaru replied.

"Not for me." Kioko sighed.

"Try it sometime. I'm positive someone as simple-minded as you would find it amusing."

"Soooo…does that mean you're simple-minded?" Kioko asked innocently, her blue eyes making the question hurt even more. Sesshomaru let out a quiet breath and closed his own eyes. He had to blame himself for creating that trap and then walking right into it. Kioko shivered slightly when a cold breeze ran through the trees. For the most part, her body was warm except for her legs and feet, which were exposed to the elements.

"I don't plan on sleeping any time soon. You can move closer to the fire, just try not to catch yourself or any of my items on fire." Sesshomaru announced, looking up at the starry sky. Kioko did move closer as she lay down, nuzzling her face in the fluff.

"Good night, Sesshomaru." Kioko said sweetly.

"Be silent before I throw a bigger rock." Sesshomaru growled. He hated it…absolutely HATED it when she was nice to him like that. Kioko giggled and closed her eyes, knowing that he was only teasing her. Sesshomaru sighed. He couldn't even convince her that time. He really didn't hate it when she was nice; he just hated the fact that he almost wanted to be nice back. He, Sesshomaru, was not nice and never would be nice. He closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them, looking at Kioko as she peacefully snoozed.

"Mm…Sesshomaru…food…ball," she murmured, letting out a slight snore. Sesshomaru wondered if that was her list of favorites or something. As long as she didn't say anything weird, he was fine.


	24. Chapter 24

Rattlesnake Shake

Kioko sat on Kagome's bed, patiently waiting as the teenage girl dug through her closet to find some clothes for the dog-girl. Kioshi was sitting in front of Kioko in Kagome's chair, trying to keep the dog warrior focused.

"Are you sure he didn't do anything inappropriate?" Kioshi asked.

"Well, he undressed me when I was unconscious," Kioko chirped. The rabbit warrior groaned as he slapped his forehead. He knew that part already. She was still wearing only the demon lord's robe, which Sesshomaru let her borrow until she found herself other clothes.

"Did he do anything else? Touch you anywhere uncomfortable?" Kioshi pressed on, trying to keep his cool. Kioko looked at him and shrugged.

"He hit me with a rock. Does that count?" Kioko asked back.

"I'm not even sure these will fit her," Kagome sighed as she placed the clothing beside Kioko on the bed. She was listening to the conversation and knew how frustrated Kioshi was, but she felt like he had Sesshomaru's intentions all wrong.

"I'll leave the room," Kioshi announced, standing as he walked out, closing the door behind him. Kioko untied the demon lord's robe from her body and placed it on the bed as she pulled the pair of jeans on.

"I was afraid of this," Kagome groaned when she realized that Kioko was a bit too big.

"I've been eating a lot…hold on," Kioko chirped, sucking her stomach in and buttoning the jeans and zipping them up. She had seen it done so many times it was almost natural. She pulled the shirt on after Kagome helped her out with the bra situation, which annoyed Kioko.

"So it holds my boobs in? It itches." Kioko grumbled.

"It's no different than how your armor operates, Kioko." Kagome replied.

"This stupid thing isn't going to prevent a blade from piercing my heart! You're nuts!" Kioko insisted, crossing her arms defiantly as Kagome brushed her white hair into place. Personally, Kioko preferred it to be messy.

"Sesshomaru's robe wouldn't either," Kagome giggled.

"Nothing happened. Sex is stupid." Kioko stated with a pout.

"Haha, alright. This will have to do until we can find some better robes for you."

"Feh,"

0000000000000000

Sesshomaru stood on the edge of a cliff, looking down into the valley. He was waiting for Kioko to return his robe to him. Her scent was getting closer and it made him slightly impatient. Sure enough, her scent stopped and then began going off in another direction, indicating that she must have spotted a squirrel or something. Sesshomaru let out a breath.

"If I could live a day in her head, maybe I would understand better." Sesshomaru said to himself, gently floating into the sky and heading in her direction. He then realized that if he were in her head, then she would be in his and she said the previous night that if she were him, she'd whip her dick out and say mindless things.

"Aw, you scared it," Kioko whined when Sesshomaru landed in front of her. Sesshomaru turned his head and watched as the squirrel scurried up the tree. Why couldn't she have been chasing a demon? Why a squirrel? He decided not to ask and unstrapped his armor from his body, taking his robe from Kioko's outstretched hand. He slipped it on and worked his way around his body until it fit perfectly. It smelled like Kioko. She smelled like the forest, water and whatever food she ate that day.

"You are wearing the miko's strange clothing," Sesshomaru stated as he pulled his armor back over his torso.

"Yeah, it's weird. There's this thing I'm wearing under this, it's called a bro or something and it squishes my boobs, but Kagome said it's no different from my armor. I think she's lying." Kioko announced, pressing her boobs lightly with her hands. She still didn't like how it felt. Sesshomaru watched her for a moment, wondering why she thought it was a good idea to perk her boobs in front of a male, but he had to remind himself that she was simple-minded.

"What is that world on the other side like?" Sesshomaru asked. Kioko smiled widely as she jumped and danced in place.

"Want to find out? Come on! Come on, come on, come on!" Kioko begged as she began running in the direction of the well. Sesshomaru followed her without saying a word, but he did question himself. Should he follow her to the other side? They came to the clearing where the well was centered and Kioko dove beautifully into the well, a purple light flashing as she did. Sesshomaru leapt feet first, in case something went wrong and he didn't face-plant into the bottom of the well.

"Caaaaaaaaaat! Hahaha!" Kioko howled when she saw Kagome's pet cat, Buyo. She chased after him, practically on all fours. Sesshomaru slowly exited the shrine, looking around carefully and taking in every new scent. Instead of a forest, he was met with a house. He could hear loud noises coming from just beyond the thin line of trees. Talking, laughing, shouting and even loud horns filled his ears. He could smell foods cooking, the wind blowing and somewhat foul smells.

"Kioko," Sesshomaru called out. Kioko ran up to him and smiled sweetly.

"You should come see the cars! They are so much fun!" Kioko said enthusiastically. Sesshomaru let out a breath, but followed her anyway. She bounded down the stairs, standing at the edge of the sidewalk and waiting eagerly. A blue car sped by and Kioko leapt after it, but soon gave up the chase when a gray car came from the opposite direction. She did this for a few moments, making honking noises back at the cars when they honked at her. Sesshomaru leapt after her, dragging her to the safety of the sidewalk, seeing as she didn't notice another car coming from behind.

"I knew it was there," Kioko grumbled, crossing her arms defiantly.

"What is so thrilling about this world? It's loud." Sesshomaru said back to her. Kioko grabbed the sleeve of his arm and began tugging him down the sidewalk. He let her for a few minutes, but he finally pulled it from her grasp and followed.

"Watch this," Kioko whispered evilly as she transformed into her dog form, walking up to a noodle stand. She reared up on her back legs, placing her paws on the stand and the man smiled when he saw her.

"Hey there, girl! I was worried for a bit! I haven't seen you for a while," the man chuckled as he grabbed a disposable bowl. He placed some chicken inside it and placed it on the ground. Kioko yipped happily as she picked up the bowl and began to prance away.

"Oh, sharing with a friend are you?" the man asked, pointing at the ground. Kioko looked and saw a small portion of the fluffy boa sticking out from behind the corner. Kioko wagged her tail and walked around the corner, transforming back into her human form and offering the bowl of chicken to Sesshomaru.

"I don't eat human food." Sesshomaru growled.

"Pfft! It's food! Get over yourself!" Kioko whined, taking a piece and eating it before offering him a second chance. Sesshomaru looked away, but pinched a piece between his claws and ate it. He looked at Kioko, who was staring back eagerly.

"Damn…why did it have to taste decent?" Sesshomaru asked, taking another piece as Kioko did the same.

0000000000000

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. She was getting ready to jump into the well, but the half-demon picked up a scent and pulled her back.

"No way! It can't be!" Inuyasha hissed, sniffing a few more times to see if he was crazy, but alas, he wasn't. It was definitely Sesshomaru's scent that traveled through the well.

"What? Did Kioko barf on it again?" Kagome asked curiously.

"No! She went to the other side and took Sesshomaru with her! Is she fucking stupid?" Inuyasha barked, picking up Kagome and leaping into the well.

"She did what? I wonder why?" Kagome asked calmly. She was pretty sure Sesshomaru wouldn't really cause as much as a ruckus as Inuyasha did when he traveled through the first few times. Now Kioko…she was a different story.

"Damn her! She doesn't think at all!" Inuyasha snapped, jumping out of the well and continuing his path, but Kagome stopped him.

"We need to grab you a hat first,"

"I'm sure Sesshomaru doesn't have to wear one! Why should I?" Inuyasha argued back, but he was sat harshly in reply.

00000000000

"So you sit here and wait for people to throw a ball for their own dogs to fetch and instead you grab it and run away?" Sesshomaru asked, standing beside Kioko on top of a branch, hidden by the tree's leaves.

"Yeah! They get so butt-hurt when I do it, too!" Kioko snickered, bending down and preparing herself.

"Where do you come up with such terms?"

"The Internet! Oooh, I'm going to show you that, too! It's probably my favorite thing from this world, next to the TV and refrigerator!" Kioko chirped as she leapt down in her dog form, almost landing on the petit dog chasing after the ball.

"Hey! You mutt! This is the fourth ball you've stolen! Come back!" a man yelled as he chased after Kioko, who half-assed it and ran at a fraction of her speed. She even taunted the man by wagging her butt in the air and waiting for him to get right in front of her before she wiggled away.

"Stupid dog!" the man screamed, grabbing a stick and intending on hitting her with it. He turned around and ran for her. She sat attentively; ears perked and tail wagging as she watched. Sesshomaru leapt from the tree while transforming into his giant demon dog form. The human man stopped running immediately, looking up at the towering white dog. Kioko sat right underneath him and dropped the ball, using her nose to push it forward. Sesshomaru lowered his snout to the ground and growled angrily.

"It's like the museum all over again! Aaaahhhhh!" he cried out as he ran away, his midget dog following him in fear. The two white dogs transformed back into their humanoid forms and looked at one another. Kioko snorted as she began laughing, pointing at Sesshomaru acceptingly.

"Now THAT was hilarious," she stated. Sesshomaru turned his head, but he couldn't help but to smirk slightly.

00000000000

"Kagome, we need to find him before he kills someone!" Inuyasha growled, but Kagome was uninterested as she held her finger up, chatting away on the phone.

"Alright, so read chapter 26 through chapter 29…not as bad as I thought. Oh, that's just my mom's friend screaming at the television," Kagome ignored Inuyasha. She knew Sesshomaru wouldn't do anything.

"Um, sis, you might want to come take a look at this," she heard her brother call uncertainly. Kagome bid her friend goodbye and walked into the living room where she found Souta pointing at the TV as he turned the volume up. Kagome felt her mouth drop open with surprise when she saw the live TV footage from the TV reporter.

"As you can see behind me, a strange phenomenon has happened. Something has placed everyone's cars on top of every building in Tokyo," the woman began, but Kagome didn't even bother to listen to the rest.

"Grab your hat and let's go!" Kagome shouted at Inuyasha, who was torturing her cat.

"Finally! Were you going to let them turn the city upside down, first?" Inuyasha remarked as he grabbed his blue cap and placed it on his head before grabbing Kagome.

000000000000

"Do you have any idea how to operate one of these contraptions?" Sesshomaru asked Kioko, who was currently sitting on the hood of a car, trying to find a way in.

"Um, I've seen it on TV," Kioko replied. Sesshomaru nodded. He needed to examine one of these "TVs" in action. Kioko found her way to the driver's side door and opened it.

"Oh yeah, now I remember! You pull on this handle!" Kioko announced excitedly. Sesshomaru went for the passenger's door and grabbed the handle, but instead of opening the door, he just ripped the entire door off.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Sesshomaru questioned, holding the door in front of himself effortlessly.

"Haha, no, silly." Kioko answered. Sesshomaru lowered the door to where only his eyes peeped from over it.

"This is boring me." He growled. Kioko placed her hands on her hips as she tried to think of something else to do.

"This is the Tokyo Police Department! We are coming up! Do not resist!" a loud voice echoed from below. Kioko peered over the side of the building and saw the police cars surrounding the building.

"Oh, oh, oh! These ones have pretty lights on them!" Kioko called to Sesshomaru excitedly as she pointed down. The demon lord cocked an eyebrow, but he was quite tired with the car situation. He looked down at the cars and saw the line of cops charging into the building.

"I think we have worn out our welcome here," Sesshomaru stated blandly. Kioko looked up at him blankly.

"We had one in the first place?" she asked harmlessly. Sesshomaru couldn't help but to grin once more as he stepped up onto the ledge of the building, ruffling Kioko's hair playfully.

"Step down! Don't jump!" someone shouted, but Sesshomaru leapt off, falling straight down and landing effortlessly on his feet. Everyone who saw it gasped breathlessly. Kioko dove off the building and landed less gracefully, falling forward onto her back and then rolling to her feet. She shook off the dirt and looked at Sesshomaru, who approached the wall of police cars.

"Don't come any closer! Stop!" one officer shouted. Sesshomaru turned and looked him directly in his eyes before lifting one cop car and tossing it carelessly behind him.

"You're in my way." Sesshomaru stated with boredom. The demon lord felt something push him from behind. He stumbled slightly and watched as Kioko ran away.

"You're it!" she shouted, taking a sharp turn. Sesshomaru leapt over the cops and their cars, chasing after her and planning to drill her face into the pavement. He could hear the officers jumping into their cars to follow. They weren't his concern, though.

"There she is! Kioko! What the hell?" Kagome hollered when she spotted the dog-girl. Kioko continued to sprint at full speed before leaping into the air, a blue aura surrounding her. She summoned water from various places and gathered it below her.

"Look how filthy that water is," Inuyasha pointed out, just now realizing that it really was dirty in this time period. Kioko landed on the water-wave and just as she touched it, the water purified and was instantly clean.

"What're you doing?" Kagome shrieked when Kioko began charging forward with the wave.

"Playing Tag!" Kioko answered as she surfed by, making sure not to hit any pedestrians.

"Oh shit," Inuyasha snapped when he saw the giant dog demon step out from the corner of the street, barking at Kioko. The dog lunged for her, but Kioko manipulated herself around his snout, under his neck, through his legs and out the other side.

"You're still it!" Kioko called out playfully. Sesshomaru growled and chased after her at full speed. Inuyasha put Kagome down and raced after his brother and ended up in front of him.

"Sesshomaru, you're going to hurt innocent," was all Inuyasha could get out before his brother (purposely) trampled him. Sesshomaru handled his size well when he was in his true form, so there was no way he would accidentally run someone over. Now the cop cars that liked to pull in front of him? That was their way of asking to be trampled in his eyes.

"Ow…fuck me," Inuyasha groaned.

"Hahahahaha! So much fun!" Kioko howled as her wave of water curled around a corner as Sesshomaru's snout barely missed her. Sesshomaru let out a bark and jumped in the air. Kioko turned her head and watched as he transformed back into his humanoid form and landed on her, knocking her to the ground and disrupting her concentration. The wave spilled to the ground as if a giant glass of water had been knocked over in the street.

"I believe I win." Sesshomaru announced, standing beside Kioko, who was slowly pushing herself up.

"How much do you weigh? That hurt." Kioko whimpered as she rubbed her head softly.

"Enough to win." Sesshomaru remarked snidely. His victory was cut short when the sirens of the cop cars blared in his ears as each one pulled up and surrounded them.

"We h-have you s-surrounded!" the chief shouted nervously.

"Heh, I think they have forgotten that we can just fly out of this mess," Sesshomaru stated arrogantly.

"Let's remind them! High-ho, Silver! Awaaaaaaaaay!" Kioko called out obnoxiously, latching onto Sesshomaru's fluff as he flew away swiftly.

00000000000000

"Oh…noooo, Kioko," Kioshi groaned when Kagome decided to show him the footage from earlier that day on TV. Kioko and Sesshomaru had disappeared once again and the police were freaking out.

"And there was like…a ten-story tall dog, man! It was unreal! I peed myself!" a man said when being interviewed.

"Do you think this has anything to do with the strange mishap mystery of the museum earlier this year?" a reporter asked the chief of police.

"Um…maybe," the man replied uncertainly, only to be asked thousands more questions.

0000000000000000

"Here," Sesshomaru said, throwing a few robes at Kioko. She had been complaining about the clothes Kagome gave her to wear being too tight, so he decided to solve the problem for her, seeing as she was too stupid to figure it out.

"Ew, pink," Kioko grumbled, throwing one robe behind her and looking at the next one. Kioko stood up and held another one up to her. It was a light green, but she wasn't sure if she liked it, either. She didn't realize that Sesshomaru was testing her at the moment. He was sure she would go for the blue robes and what not, but he liked the faces she made as she rummaged through the pile.

"Seriously? Brown? Is that your way of calling me a piece of shit or something?" Kioko growled at Sesshomaru, throwing the brown robe at him with irritation. Sesshomaru caught it and melted it away with his poisonous claws, deciding not to reply to that question. He figured since that was on her mind, it was she who called herself a piece of shit, not him. Kioko reached the deep, blue colored one and her eyes instantly lit up with satisfaction.

"You even got matching pants…you planned this out, didn't you?" Kioko asked with suspicion. Sesshomaru, again, didn't reply. Kioko rolled her eyes, but she realized that at least he was being nice to her…unusually so. She immediately pulled her shirt off and dropped her pants, completely oblivious as she fought to get the bra off her torso.

"What the…get off me! Ugh, annoying!" Kioko made growling noises as she fought with the article of clothing. Sesshomaru sighed and lifted his arm, swinging his whip and slicing the bra off from behind. Kioko dropped it and turned around.

"Can I help you?" she asked, her chest fully exposed and no, she didn't care. Sesshomaru turned his head and shook it.

"Get dressed, trash." Sesshomaru demanded.

"Never seen boobs?"

"I've seen plenty of them; I just don't want to see yours."

"Why? Mine are good, aren't they?" Kioko asked curiously, pressing her boobs with her hands to see if they were too droopy or something.

"I refuse to engage in this conversation with you."

"A stick in the sand is more exciting than you, sometimes." Kioko sighed hopelessly as she pulled the blue robes on and then the pants, deciding to find something for her feet later.

"Do you realize some of the provocative things you say and do?"

"Provocative? How?"

"It's one thing for you to get undressed in front of another girl, but to openly show yourself to a male…it's almost as if you're asking for it," Sesshomaru said, standing up and facing Kioko. She had her head cocked and her eyes showed thought.

"Asking for what? Sex? I don't want sex."

"Then refrain from showing your body to me unless there is something absolutely amazing that you must show me." Sesshomaru ordered. Kioko crossed her arms and nodded, but she went quiet, meaning she was thinking. Sesshomaru knew a crude, tactless question was coming.

"But…wait, does that mean that you want to have sex with me?" And there it was. Sesshomaru opened his mouth to reply, but he was at a loss of words. She had to be the most clueless creature, but she had these…moments where she made perfect sense. It was horrifying. Sesshomaru opened his mouth once more, the words slowly making way to his mouth.

"Wh-Where do you come up with these assumptions? I do not believe that I ever even hinted that I wanted to bed you." Sesshomaru argued calmly.

"Yeah you did. I said I didn't want sex and you said, and I quote, then refrain from showing your body to me yadda, yadda," Kioko insisted, waving her hands with every syllable. Sesshomaru just glared. That was all he could do because she made sense and made a point…and he did say that, but he didn't mean it that way.

"We always have these conversations and it's disturbing. Look, I don't want to have sex with you and you already said you didn't want sex, so here are the rules…no undressing in front of me and definitely do not show me your bare chest."

"You do the same."

"I'm not the one with the problem, you are." Sesshomaru pointed out.

"Yeah…I still don't want to see your chest, though. No more. It disgusts me." Kioko stated defiantly, crossing her arms and closing her eyes. Sesshomaru had to wait for a moment to let the rage pass. She was just imitating him to annoy him and it was working. She wouldn't care if Sesshomaru walked around ass-naked and probably wouldn't glance twice.

"Fine!" Sesshomaru snarled.

"Glad we could work this problem out." Kioko giggled, smiling deviously. Sesshomaru blinked. So she did know what she was doing after all. Little bitch.

AN- My computer says I misspelled Kioko's name, so I checked the suggestions list and the first one was the word, "kook." Haha, the irony.


	25. Chapter 25

I Ain't Even Mad, Bro

AN-Thanks for waiting patiently and I apologize for not updating sooner.

Kioko sat beneath a tree as the rain poured down. She had separated from the group after being injured by a large horde of demons. As usual, she had not paid attention and was bitten harshly on her shoulder. It would not have happened had her armor not been smashed before, but it happened and there was nothing to do about it now. She looked up when she saw black clouds closing in. They were as black as the night sky on a moonless night.

"Naraku," Kioko whispered, slowly standing up and sighing heavily when she heard the countless roars and snarls from the approaching demons.

"And here she is, the dog goddess herself," the familiar and deep voice chuckled. Kioko leaned back against the tree, realizing she was still unstable. Her blue eyes focused on the approaching shadow. Those red eyes gleamed directly into her blue ones. Naraku walked more into view, dressed in his baboon pelt, meaning he was comfortable with this situation.

"Why are you here? I mean, Inuyasha went after you," Kioko panted, now holding her left shoulder with her right hand, feeling the warm, red liquid gushing through her fingers. Naraku smirked as he closed his eyes, inhaling through his nose deeply.

"The sweet smell of a fallen deity,"

"I'm not gone, yet!" Kioko barked, ready to fight. It was raining, meaning water was everywhere. She was in her element and couldn't have a better advantage, injured or not.

"Oh, but I've already proven myself time and time again to the other warriors. The tiger, the rooster, the rat, the horse…all have fallen by my hand."

"Wh-What?" Kioko gasped, her eyes wide. Naraku's smirk turned into a toothy grin.

"That's right, Kioko. I killed them. Not even the rat gave me any issues. Even if you are some divine goddess, you are injured and weak. This will be of no issue to me, either." Naraku stated arrogantly. Kioko grabbed her hammer with her right hand and held it up defensively. Naraku chuckled and just waited for her.

"Don't underestimate me!" Kioko shouted, leaping forward and slamming her hammer down. The earth cracked and cratered to the force, but Naraku had leapt up, spider-like legs sprouting from his back. Two of the front legs struck her in the chest and pinned her on the ground on her back. Kioko stared up at the dark demon, shivering when he continued to smirk.

"Such a shame…I honestly believed you would have put up more of a fight." Naraku said, pressing down on the bite injury on her shoulder. Kioko gritted her teeth and tried her hardest not to scream, seeing as that was his goal, but another leg immediately pierced through her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut and gave an agonized growl as a fourth leg slowly and irritatingly pierced through her abdomen.

"Time to end this. Good riddance." Naraku stated.

"Release her! NOW!" a voice shouted, a green whip lashing out and breaking off the legs that pinned Kioko down. The dog-girl sat up, excited that Sesshomaru came for her. He could deny it all he wanted. Naraku gritted his teeth, but he immediately calmed himself and gave his grin.

"Back off," Naraku said back, summoning his barrier and cutting Sesshomaru off from interfering. Kioko picked up her hammer and prepared to fight.

"Damn you to Hell!" Sesshomaru snarled, pulling his sword out and blasting the barrier with his strongest attack possible. The barrier rippled, but did not break.

"Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?" Naraku purred, turning back to Kioko, who had flown at him.

"Right here!" Kioko barked, swinging her hammer at full-force with both hands. The iron hammer smashed into his face, tearing his head from his body. Kioko quickly jumped back to avoid the poisonous gases, but the area inside the barrier had soon filled with it. Kioko covered her nose and mouth, holding her breath and trying her hardest to hold out.

"Kioko! Kioko, don't you dare die!" Sesshomaru called out. He blasted the barrier again, knowing it would do nothing. Inuyasha was the only one who could break down Naraku's barrier. Did he know Naraku was back here now? Or was that idiotic half-breed sidetracked with another one of Naraku's diversions?

Kioko smashed away tentacle after tentacle, knowing she was getting nowhere fast. She even tried on a few occasions to bash her way out of the barrier, but she wasn't leaving and Sesshomaru wasn't coming in. The dog-girl dove out of the way of more tentacles, bashing a few more with her hammer and raising her weapon in the air.

"Judging Hammer of the Heavens!" Kioko roared, slamming the hammer down into the ground. She summoned the blue shockwave and dissolved the tentacles and knocked Naraku back. The demon man was thrown back against the wall of his own barrier. Sesshomaru smirked when he realized what had happened. Kioko was putting up a great fight. He looked over at her and frowned when she dropped her hammer, chains falling with it. She fell to her knees, panting weakly, her limbs and body shaking.

"Finally…I'll be sure to tell Kioshi how valiantly you fought." Naraku growled, landing on his feet.

"Kioko! Kioko! On your feet!" Sesshomaru ordered.

"I…I know when to give up," Kioko said breathlessly.

"That's right! Bow to me, Kioko and accept your death!" Naraku laughed, holding his arms out in a celebratory fashion. Kioko turned her head and looked over at Sesshomaru. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. The smoke and faint traces of miasma drifted across her vision. She focused on Sesshomaru the most, though. He was saying something, but she couldn't really hear him. She watched as he slammed his fist into the barrier before screaming something at her once more.

"Stand up, Kioko!" he shouted, his voice almost sounded urgent. Then…blackness.

Sesshomaru stood in awe, completely silent and motionless. Kioko had just breathed her last breath before Naraku cut her down one last time. The demon lord now noticed the cold raindrops upon his face and the breeze creeping through slowly. Naraku laughed with amusement as he disappeared in his cloud of miasma, leaving the demon lord alone with the once-bubbly dog warrior. Sesshomaru slowly approached her motionless body. The only things that moved were strands of her dirtied white hair from the wind.

"Why did you give up? I do not understand," Sesshomaru said, kneeling down beside her body. He brushed her hair away from her face and saw the peaceful expression. It was almost as if she were sleeping. Sesshomaru placed his hand down on her head and softly petted her. Is this what she wanted?

"You didn't deserve this…he will pay." The demon lord growled, feeling the anger festering beneath his skin. It started in his chest and was now coursing throughout his body. He slowly reached for Tenseiga, but the sword would not react to his touch, meaning there was nothing he could do. The longer he stared at her, the angrier he became. The demon lord stood up and began to walk away, only to stop and look back at her once more. Should he leave her body there to be eaten up by stray demons? What should he do? Naraku's scent was still fresh and he was not too far away.

000000000

Inuyasha had picked up Naraku's scent and was rushing towards the dark demon, Miroku and Sango pledging their ability to hold off the demons for him just a while longer. Kioshi decided to take Kagome to Inuyasha, seeing as she wanted to be with the half demon this time around. She was sure she could help Inuyasha kill him.

"Sesshomaru? What're you doing here? Where's Naraku?" Inuyasha blurted out, pointing his blade down when he realized Sesshomaru was unarmed and carrying Kioko. The wind howled as the demon lord approached, his head held down. Inuyasha realized that the wind was his brother's furious aura.

"What happened to her? Kioko!" Kioshi hollered after putting Kagome down on her feet. The rabbit warrior ran up to Sesshomaru, who handing the dog warrior's body over without a word. Kioshi felt how cold her skin was and felt the tears stinging his eyes. It wasn't real! It was just a bad dream!

"Naraku did this," Inuyasha said seriously, keeping his blade held down, but ready in case Naraku dropped in. Kioshi let out a pained scream as he tightly hugged Kioshi's body.

"Sesshomaru…you saw it happen, didn't you?" Kagome sobbed, walking towards him cautiously.

"Why didn't you help? You bastard!" Kioshi wailed, rage filling his usually-soft purple eyes.

"I did everything I could do! I cannot…I cannot break barriers." Sesshomaru stopped and looked away.

"Oh Kioko," Kagome whispered as she stroked the dirty white hair of Kioko. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha both looked up when they heard that disgusting asshole's laughter filling the sky.

"This is the end! I will kill every last one of you!" Naraku's voice echoed as the sky grew dark once more. Sesshomaru leapt in the air and levitated, watching as the giant black spider began forming, hissing and walking forward.

"You disgusting piece of trash," Sesshomaru said, pulling his sword out, but he stopped when the spider began spitting acidic saliva at him. He dodged the acid effortlessly and thought about transforming to take him head on, but that would just make Sesshomaru himself a bigger and easier target.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Wait!" Jaken hollered, flying in on Ah-Un with Rin holding on to his robes. The demon lord quickly cut them off from landing and pointed to Kaede's village, which was not too far away.

"Take Rin away from here!" Sesshomaru ordered. The two-headed dragon hovered just above the ground and grumbled with irritation. Land, fly, land, fly…which one? Rin looked over and saw Kioshi and Kioko. She slid off the dragon and ran to see her dog friend, but as she got closer, the more blood she saw. Rin knew that look on Kioko's face…the same expression Rin's family after they had been killed by thieves. She was immediately whisked off her feet by Sesshomaru, who began carrying her back to Jaken and Ah-Un.

"No! No! I want Kioko! I want my doggie! I want my doggie! I want my doggie!" Rin screamed as she thrashed in Sesshomaru's grasp. He placed her on top of the dragon where Jaken held her.

"Take her to the village, Jaken." Sesshomaru demanded.

"But, my lord, I wish to fight alongside you," Jaken insisted.

"Here, take Shippo back, too." Kagome pleaded, placing the fox child in Rin's arms. Shippo hugged Rin, knowing how upset she was. Sesshomaru looked back and saw Kioshi still cradling the body of his fallen comrade. The demon lord walked over and kneeled down, pulling her body into his arms and carrying her over to Ah-Un.

"Take her, also. Make sure she gets a proper burial." Sesshomaru ordered before flying away to prevent anymore disobediences. His word was law. Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and leapt after his brother, Kioshi close behind. Kagome looked back at Kioshi and saw nothing but utter hatred and rage in his eyes. Sesshomaru watched as the spider opened its body, as if inviting them to come play. For once, Sesshomaru would play Naraku's game…and beat him.

"Sango! Miroku! Be careful!" Inuyasha called out, seeing the other two had gone ahead. Sesshomaru dove in after them, being followed by the rest.

00000000

"So gross." Kagome groaned when she slid of Inuyasha's back, landing on the floor. It was the inside of Naraku's body. They were in his world now.

"How anyone could allow someone like this man to exist is beyond me. The gods must truly be cruel at heart." Kioshi grumbled, hold an axe in each hand.

"How dare you call him a man?" Miroku asked humorously. There was no reason to be completely tense. Naraku fed on people's misery. Kioshi snorted, but said nothing else.

"We should stick together." Kagome stated, but Sesshomaru went forward into one of the paths. He couldn't really smell Naraku, considering his scent was everywhere.

"Damn him! Sesshomaru! Naraku is mine!" Inuyasha hollered after his brother, but the elder brother disappeared and said nothing back. He figured whoever found Naraku first would be the one to kill him.

"Kagome, can you sense the jewel?" Sango asked, crawling off Kirara and looking around cautiously.

"Strangely, I can, but it feels like it's coming from all directions," Kagome replied gently. Inuyasha slashed at the tentacles that came after them and Sango also hacked away with her weapon. Miroku put up a small barrier around them with his staff when the miasma filled the cavern.

"Thanks Miroku!" Kagome called out.

"Not a problem! Let's go!" the monk replied. Kioshi burst from the barrier, whipping up a gust to blow the miasma away, but he didn't wait for the others. The rabbit raced away, hacking tentacles as he went. Naraku's head was his!

0000000

Naraku rested in a deep cavern, holding the completed jewel in his hand. He knew where every single person was inside and had eyes and ears all over the place. No one would find him. He saw what was happening on the outside as well. Sesshomaru's follower, Jaken, was riding in on Ah-Un. Should he allow reinforcements, even if they were weak?

"No, not yet." Naraku said to himself. He blinked when he saw the little fox, Shippo flying up with Rin riding him. She was holding something in her hand. What was it? Naraku then smirked when he developed a wicked plan to mess with Sesshomaru one last time. First he killed off Kagura, a close ally of Sesshomaru's. Then he let Magatsuhi out of the jewel and he almost killed the demon lord. Yes, Sesshomaru came out stronger than before, but that was before slaughtering innocent little Kioko in front of him. Oh…the look on Sesshomaru's face.

"He was so lost. What will you do if I take that young girl away from you, Sesshomaru? Will you break?" Naraku chuckled, opening the outside and allowing Jaken in, with Rin and Shippo following closely behind. Naraku smirked when he realized he could take this even further. Why just stop at Sesshomaru? Why not spread the hate and the remorse and make the jewel even blacker? Naraku felt his body go cold when he heard a vicious snarl, red eyes leering at him.

"You…what do you want?" Naraku asked, closing his hand around the jewel and seeing the hellhound stepping forward, but staying back at its master lingered in the shadows.

"Fifty years ago, you lay within a cave, burned beyond recognition, beyond the ability to even feed yourself…beyond the ability to have the woman you wanted," a voice said, hinting amusement.

"No, that was Onigumo, not me."

"Onigumo…Naraku…interchangeable. I believe it is time for this deal of ours to end,"

"I made no such deal with you, demon!"

"It seems these people have it out a lot more for you than I do." And with that, the hellhound and its master backed away, disappearing into the blackness. Naraku gripped the jewel harshly.

"Found you," Kioshi growled, stepping into the dim light, his white hair almost creating its own light source. Naraku smirked.

"I promised Kioko that I would tell you just how valiantly she fought, but it did not matter in the end." Naraku announced. Kioshi stood his ground.

"Demon, you are the one who gives anything in return for a soul?" Kioshi called out, knowing it was still lurking in the shadows.

"Heh, and what do you want?" the voice replied.

"I want Kioko's life restored,"

"And whose soul do you offer up? Yours?"

"Yes. You can have my soul right after I'm done killing him." Kioshi stated, pointing his axe at Naraku.

"Hm…got anything else?" the demon asked with boredom. Kioshi frowned as he tried to think of anything else.

"I do not." Kioshi replied.

"No deal." The demon answered.

"Shame," Naraku laughed, launching his attack on Kioshi. The rabbit warrior dodged the tentacles with no problem, evading and causing some to collide into each other. Kioshi spun around, sending out wind blades to chop them to pieces.

"I like those axes, rabbit-boy. How about you give me those instead of your soul in return for the dog's life?" the demon chuckled. Naraku stopped attacking and grew angry.

"After I kill him!" Kioshi hollered.

"No! Now or I will lose my interest!" the demon shouted. Kioshi looked at his axes and glared. If he gave them up now, Naraku would surely win the fight and kill him.

00000000000000

"Come at me, Sango." The false Naraku purred. Sango had been separated and without Kagome, she couldn't tell if it was truly Naraku or not. He also held an unconscious Rin in his arms. If Sango tried anything serious, Rin would be killed in the process.

"What do I do? If I don't do anything, Miroku will…what should I do?" Sango whispered under her breath. Miroku's hellhole had spread and he had little time left. Sango made her decision and climbed back onto Kirara, weapon at the ready.

"Heh," the fake Naraku laughed as Sango charged forward on Kirara.

"I'm sorry, Rin!" Sango cried. Kirara let out a howl of surprise when something lashed in front of her. Sango felt her weapon being ripped from her hand and had Kirara back away. Sesshomaru landed on a ledge and turned around, Rin held in one hand and Sango's weapon in his other hand. He flung the weapon and sliced the false Naraku in half. Sango panted and held back the tears. She had almost killed an innocent girl for a fake!

"Are you not going to kill me?" Sango asked when Sesshomaru passed by her. He gave Rin to her and turned back around, seeing Jaken and Ah-Un riding up with Kohaku as well. Sango gave Rin to Kohaku and looked away from her brother. She couldn't dare look him in the eye, knowing that he had taken a liking to the little girl.

"Sango, you didn't know. It's alright. Lord Sesshomaru isn't angry with you." Kohaku said soothingly, seeing that Sesshomaru was leading the way. If he were truly angry, he would have killed her with no restraint. Sango heard Kirara roar as she leapt over a stream of miasma. Kohaku placed his mask on and Sango quickly pulled hers out, lining up with Ah-Un and strapping her mask onto Rin's face.

"Sister, what are you doing?" Kohaku shouted when Sango urged Kirara to speed up. Sango turned around and smiled at him.

"I'm going on ahead!" Sango called back to Sesshomaru. The demon lord nodded, but he heard Kohaku telling him to not let her out his sight. Sesshomaru sped up, but a wall of solidified miasma spikes pierced together and blocked them off. Apparently, Naraku did not want them to assist her. Sesshomaru saw a bright light blazing through a crack further on down and instantly knew that Kagome's powers were now back in play. He had killed Magatsuhi earlier, which ultimately destroyed the curse the demon placed on her, but she still didn't feel her spiritual powers were back.

"Lord Sesshomaru! From the side!" Kohaku shouted. Sesshomaru turned, his hand on his sword.

"Die!" a familiar voice hissed. Magatsuhi's spirit still lived? How?

"You first!" another familiar voice barked back. A white light pierced the spirit and Magatsuhi's soul had finally died out entirely. Sesshomaru watched as Kioko landed next to the crack in the wall and pointed at it.

"Are we going or gawking?" she asked with a smile. Her robes were still stained and her wounds were still fresh…even her hair was messy and dirty. Sesshomaru landed next to her and immediately grabbed her arms.

"How…How did you…you're dead," Sesshomaru tripped over his words. Kioko pushed his hands from her arms and started to charge into the cave, but the demon lord slammed her against the wall, inches from her face.

"Why did you give up and let him kill you? How dare you, a warrior, bow to such a despicable creature and allow him to slay you?" Sesshomaru growled at her angrily. Kohaku, Jaken and Rin all sat back on Ah-Un, watching the scene unfold nervously. They had never seen Sesshomaru this visibly upset.

"Um, don't we have things to kill?" Kioko asked blankly, her face gone pale with embarrassment as she looked away. She felt dumb enough already. He wasn't helping. Sesshomaru sighed and let go of her, backing away slightly…before slamming his fist into the top of her head.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" Kioko howled, bending over slightly while holding her head.

0000000

Naraku knew he was done for, but he had but one plan left. He and Kagome were going to be stuck in the meidou together and their souls would continue the same fight the legendary priestess who created the jewel and her demon opponent fought within the jewel itself. He saw Sesshomaru charge in and then Kioko following right behind him.

"Heh, the rabbit has joined Himeko and you have joined up with Sesshomaru…something went right for someone." Naraku said before closing his eyes one final time when Inuyasha's attack finally struck him.

"Aaahhh! Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed out when she was pulled into the hellhole. Kioko threw her chained hammer and Kagome caught it as Kioko began pulling her back, digging her heels into the dissolving flesh.

"After him…his soul is mine." A disembodied voice hissed. The hellhound howled as it leapt into the Meidou. It knocked into Kagome and Kioko fell backwards, unable to have saved her friend. She panted and looked over, seeing a faint outline of a familiar person.

"We need to get out of here! It's falling apart!" Miroku shouted when Naraku's body began falling apart. Kioko stood up and ran over to the body, knowing it was Kioshi. She transformed and picked him up, leaping to safety. She placed him down in the soft grass and transformed back into her humanoid form.

"Mmm, it's so bright," Kioshi moaned, slowly opening his purple eyes. Kioko hovered over him and smiled happily.

"Hi," Kioko chirped. Kioshi smiled back at her and ruffled her hair.

"Rabbit, I cannot wield your axes. I should have known they were divine." The soul-dealing demon chuckled as it approached the group, dressed in raggedy black robes and gleaming red eyes peeking out from the hood.

"That's why I made the deal," Kioshi laughed weakly in return. The demon crossed its arms within its tattered sleeves.

"It seems the half demon boy has gone in after his beloved, but he cannot reach her, nor Naraku. The jewel is in control." The demon said uncaringly.

"You can see what's happening?" Sango asked with amazement.

"I see what my hound sees. Besides, I am a demon from Hell. I only wish the Shikon no Tama would finish its business quickly and give me Naraku's soul. It's well overdue." The demon stated, finally pulling its hood down and revealing a young man's face, but with gray skin. His red eyes were now a little softer, but his presence meant business. Miroku frowned as he stepped forward.

"Wait…you mean to tell us that Naraku made a deal with you in exchange for his soul?" the monk asked.

"Yes." The demon replied shortly.

"And what did you give to him in return?"

"It isn't really any of your business, then again, if not for me making such a deal, none of this would have happened. I made a deal with him when he was Onigumo, lying in a cave, burned beyond all recognition. He may as well have been dead. He wished to be strong and mobile again, so I let him. I told him in fifty years, he would have lived a long, prosperous life, hopefully, and not to bare me any ill feelings when I finally came to fetch his soul. Those demons had such anger towards Kikyo, though."

"Do you have any idea what you've done to us? What you've caused? All the pain and suffering?" Miroku shouted, getting angrier by the second. The demon smirked and sighed.

"You're alive and you have your woman. Get off me. I simply make the deals. I take no responsibility for what happens."

"You bastard!" the monk growled.

"Monk, you act as if no one here made a pact with Naraku for their own advances in life. It is strictly what it is…business." Sesshomaru interrupted calmly. Miroku glanced back at him and backed down.

"Oh I see what the jewel wants…it's trying to convince Kagome to make the wrong choice and in doing so her soul and Naraku's will be trapped within, destined to fight for all eternity." The demon said with boredom. Truthfully, it wanted Kagome to make the right choice, for Naraku's soul was the demon's property.

"What? Are you sure?" Miroku questioned.

"Kagome will make the right choice. I know it." Sango assured him.

"I have better things to do…take it." The demon growled under its breath.

0000000000000

"What should I do?" Kagome cried softly. She looked over at Naraku, who seemed to be in a peaceful sleep. She had to think this through. If she made the wrong decision, this whole cycle would start again. Kagome didn't want this to happen.

"Your choice?" the woman's voice whispered. Kagome heard a snarl and looked over at Naraku, but he was still pretty fucking dead. What made that noise?

"Oh no, the hellhound," Kagome gasped when she saw the large dog walking up to Naraku. It placed its paws on his chest and opened its snout. The dark-colored light exited from his mouth without a fight. The hellhound clamped down on the soul and swallowed it, turning around and staring straight at Kagome.

"I want to go home," Kagome stated, seemingly lost within the deep, red eyes of the hound.

"You made the right choice…I owe you." Another, wicked-sounding voice said as Kagome was engulfed in a bright light.

0000000000

The hellhound jumped out of a Meidou that the demon created with a simple wave of its hand. The demon held a hand out and the hellhound gave Naraku's soul to it without a word being said.

"Oh my, this soul is probably the most corrupted thing I've ever touched," it chuckled, disappearing with its hound.

Sesshomaru sniffed the air, making sure the demon and its hellhound had disappeared entirely. It irritated the demon lord more than anything, but he had to respect the fact that the demon simply did its job. He looked over at Kioko, who was staring straight back at him.

"So what were you asking me earlier?" she asked him curiously. Sesshomaru blinked and realized that everyone had their attention on him now. He did not want these people to know his business with Kioko. Wait…what business? It was simply a question.

"It does not matter now. He is dead." Sesshomaru answered candidly.

"Uh," Kioko scratched her head before shaking it and letting out a defeated sigh.

"But, my lord, you were so upset with her. You even held her and you were mad." Rin stated out loud. Sesshomaru stood still and kept his expressions to a minimum. Why did she have to mention that?

"He held you?" Kioshi asked Kioko with utter surprise.

"More like he grabbed me and held me against the wall," Kioko answered with embarrassment. She knew Sesshomaru wanted to stomp her into the ground at this point.

"What were you so upset with her about, Sesshomaru?" Miroku asked, looking the demon lord straight in the eye. Sesshomaru stared back and then averted his gaze.

"If you cannot figure out why I could possibly be irritated with Kioko, then we have bigger problems to assess." Sesshomaru replied icily. He wondered if that would hint to the rest of them that he was angry with Kioko for being dumb, tactless Kioko.

"Oh Kioko, what did you do?" Kioshi groaned while rubbing his face. Kioko looked at him, then at Miroku and Sango, then at Kohaku, Jaken and Rin and finally at Sesshomaru, her face completely blank.

"I have no idea." Kioko finally said, transforming into her dog form and wagging her tail. Hopefully her dumb dog act would get them off her case. Miroku and Sango smiled at her, embracing one another afterwards. Yes!

0000000000000

A long while had passed and everyone had finally moved on with their lives. Miroku and Sango had twins and their third child had just been born. Kohaku was training with Totosai to become an even stronger exterminator. Shippo was practicing with his fox magic and had become quite good with it. Rin was training with Kaede with medicinal herbal healing. As for the remaining Zodiac Warriors who had not been killed or run off, Kioko and Kioshi decided to just enjoy everyone else's lives, but not really establish their own. They didn't know any other way to live than to just follow everyone else.

"Oh, Inuyasha, there you are," Kaede sighed, but someone else walked in with him. Kagome. The old woman instantly hugged the young girl, not wanting to let her go.

"Kagome! You're back! How?" the old priestess asked with tears.

"I had a dream that the well opened up and so I tried it and it worked." Kagome explained with a smile. She looked at Inuyasha and hugged him tightly.

"Kioko! Give me back my pants!" Kioshi shouted as he ran after the white dog, holding his robes closed to prevent anyone seeing his man-parts.

"Nope!" Kioko laughed back. Kagome sighed and smiled. She was happy that they were still alive. She instantly remembered something and ran outside.

"Kioshi! Kioko! I have a gift for you!" Kagome shouted. The two sprinted after her and stopped before her obediently. Kioshi bowed slightly and saw that Kioko still had his pants in her jaws. He quickly ripped them from her grasp and laughed.

"Ha, ha, ha!" Kioshi laughed as he pulled his pants on. Kioko turned into her human form and jumped slightly.

"Gift? Food? Food?" Kioko asked eagerly. Kagome reached out and placed her hand on Kioshi's chest and placed her other hand over Kioko's.

"You two are free to do whatever you want. You don't have to fight anymore, alright?" she told them. Kioshi nodded and bowed once more.

"Thank you, Kagome." Kioshi said softly.

"Aw. No food?" Kioko asked with a whine. Kioshi pushed her head down so she was bowing as well.

000000000

Kagome and Inuyasha sat together in a grassy field, enjoying a nice little lunch together as they discussed Sango and Miroku's newest born son. They also talked about Shippo's skills increasing and how strong he will be someday.

"Hm?" Inuyasha's ears twitched when he heard a rustle in the bushes. Kagome saw Kioko burst from the trees as she ran by them hurriedly.

"Kioko? Where are you going?" Kagome called out curiously. Kagome felt another presence and turned her head, seeing Sesshomaru rushing by and leaping once, almost landing on Kioko, but she dove just in time. Sesshomaru lunged forward and wrapped his left arm around her waist and the other around her neck.

"Give it back!" Sesshomaru barked, seemingly trying to grab at something she had grasped in her hands.

"No!"

"Kioko!"

"NO!" Kioko flailed her legs and growled. Sesshomaru pinned her down on her back, growling when he realized she now hid it underneath her body. Sesshomaru leaned down, now hovering over her as he tried to pull her arms out to turn her over.

"What's going on with them?" Kagome asked Inuyasha.

"No idea." Inuyasha replied blankly. Kioko wiggled and laughed as Sesshomaru tried to maneuver her body to his will. He was getting so mad. Kioko kicked both of Sesshomaru's legs out from underneath him, thinking he would fall to the side. Nope! He fell straight down onto her.

"Aaaahhh! Ow!" Kioko howled, coughing slightly.

"You idiot!" Sesshomaru barked at her, trying to push himself back up.

"Ooh, man, how much do you weigh?" Kioko whined, almost rolling to her side. Sesshomaru froze for a moment and quickly reached beneath her. Kioko felt his hand grab her ass and she quickly gasped, pulled her own arm from underneath herself and slapped him.

"Did she…did she just slap him?" Inuyasha stuttered. Kagome giggled. Sesshomaru sat up and placed his hand on his face, feeling the slight burn resonating. Kioko leaned up and examined him.

"Sorry! It just…happened." Kioko said softly. Sesshomaru let out a huge exhale through his nose. He paused for a moment before hammering his fist onto the top of her head and reaching out for the kimono she had taken from him. Kioko quickly pushed him away and held the kimono away from him as far as her arm could stretch. Sesshomaru leaned forward even more, his weight bearing down on her again. They were almost hugging, minus the fact that their arms were stretching away from each other. Kioko felt his hand grasp the kimono and she turned her head, giving Sesshomaru the longest, wettest lick she could accomplish in human form. It definitely stalled him. Sesshomaru quickly pushed away and jumped to his feet.

"Did you just lick me?" Sesshomaru asked, completely serious about falling apart at this point. Kioko stood up as well and held the kimono to herself.

"Yup! Winning!" she chirped, running off again. Sesshomaru exhaled and turned around. She could have that round. Sesshomaru then realized his brother and his new wife had watched the entire fight. Kagome's face was red with laughter as she covered her mouth, small giggles erupting. Inuyasha's face was pale and his face said it all…holy shit. Sesshomaru closed his eyes and turned back around.

"She's going to hang for this," he growled with distaste.

AN- And that is the end, my friends. Thanks for reading. I appreciate it. Yes I left out Naraku's last incarnation, Byakuya or whatever his name is for one reason…he annoyed me to no end. I don't know why. He really just got under my skin.


End file.
